Living Arrangements
by In Darkness Is Light
Summary: Rin, needing a place to stay, takes up residence with Kakashi. A series documenting their life in the same place.
1. The Beginning

**AN:** Ok, so here's my second shot at writing a slight KakaRin fic! Basically, the fic will consist of oneshots that are all interrelated and hopefully, you guys will like reading it as much as I will writing it!

Disclaimer: I do _not _own Naruto.

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When 14 year-old Kakashi woke up that one particular morning, he had a sensation that the day was going to turn out a little unexpected yet nothing could prepare him for the level of unexpected he was going to be facing.

The day had begun with all the regular morning rituals as Kakashi prepared himself for a meeting with his sensei, more recently known as the Yondaime Hokage. The older man had been meaning to propose a teaching job at the academy for quite some time and it seemed like today he'd finally have the chance to.

Kakashi was just about to leave his house and begin making his way to the Hokage's office when he heard a few bangs on his apartment door. Fully awake and alert, he headed cautiously to the door, unlocking it slowly while pulling out a kunai. What he was met with was not the face of a potential enemy but the face of his teammate Rin, who appeared to be in quite a hysterical state. Her hair was dishevelled and her eyes were red and puffy, with underlying dark bags and Kakashi immediately became worried. He hadn't seen her this upset since Obito's funeral. "What's wrong?" he asked.

At this, Rin started to sob hysterically, making him worry even more. "Th-The-They!" she blubbered. "They! How could they? They did this! How could they? How could this happen?!" she questioned, yelling at the boy in front of her. "They! They!"

"They what? Who are _they_ Rin? What did _they_ do?" He grabbed a hold of her arms, giving her a little shake so that she'd look up at him instead of staring at the ground.

Her eyes travelled along the concrete beneath her, heading up to look him in the eyes. He suddenly regretted making her look up. Her eyes looked so dull, so dead and this really scared him. He now noticed that she was no longer crying and her face had taken a frighteningly distant and apathetic look upon it. The Rin he was looking at now was completely different from the Rin who had knocked on his door. Slowly, she parted her lips and spoke. "They-They…they did this…"

Kakashi hadn't gotten another chance to ask her who _they_ were; Rin had collapsed into him just seconds later. He had become quite shocked and alarmed, yelling her name, hoping she would wake up.

"Rin?"

No response.

"Rin."

No response.

"Rin! Come on Rin, wake up!"

Still no response.

Panicked, he debated about rushing her over to the hospital but concluded that it would be not only difficult but also quite useless. He had just come back from a mission the day before and was still tired; Rin was easily weighing almost as much as he was, so carrying her was just going to take a long time. Besides, the hospital had a surplus of patients ever since the war had started and with all the injured shinobi waiting to have their gashes and wounds healed, he doubted that anyone would make it a priority to take a look at an unconscious girl.

Placing her gently on his bed, he went over to the washroom and wet a cloth with cold water, putting it over her forehead. He thought about what she'd said, or rather, blubbered incoherently at him and although he wasn't sure who _they_ were, he was sure that if he ever met _they_, _they_ would be getting beaten to a pulp. To his relief, she woke up just a few minutes later, appearing to be in perfectly good health.

Rin regarded her surroundings quizzically. "Where am I?" she asked out loud.

"In my apartment," Kakashi replied.

She gave a jolt of surprise as she realized his presence in the room. "My god, you scared me."

"Sorry," he apologized.

"What am I doing here?"

"I don't know; you just showed up. Don't you remember?"

Rin frowned at him, lost in thought as she tried to go back in her memories to what she last remembered. Suddenly, she got a headache as recent events came flooding back to her. Grunting painfully, she held her head between her two hands, wincing.

"Are you ok?" Kakashi asked, once again worried but not showing it.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just have a headache," she replied.

"Ok."

Silence passed over them for a variable amount of minutes, only broken when Kakashi glanced up at the clock on his otherwise bare wall. "Shit!" he cursed.

"What is it?"

"I was supposed to meet sensei a few minutes ago," he explained to her.

"Oh, sorry for keeping you. You can go now."

"Are you sure you're ok?" Kakashi asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Do you want to come with me?"

Although surprised and slightly flattered and flustered by his asking for her to come with him, she politely declined. "I think I'm going to have to pass. I need to rest."

"Ok," he said, waiting for her to get up but she just remained in her position, sprawled across the bed. "Are you going to stay here?" he asked.

She smiled sheepishly. "Do you mind?"

He gave a shrug; he didn't really like people being in his apartment while he was gone but it wasn't like she was a complete stranger or anything. "Just don't destroy the place while I'm gone," he responded jokingly.

She chuckled, replying with an, "Ok, I promise."

Nodding to her, Kakashi left the room and headed towards the Hokage's office. Upon arrival, he noted that it was ok that he was late because his sensei seemed to have just gotten in his office. Knocking on the office's door, he opened it when he heard his sensei call "Come in!"

"Oh, Kakashi!" the older man remarked. "It's good you could make it! How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine," Kakashi replied.

"And how's Rin?"

"I don't know," he answered truthfully without divulging what had just happened. He wanted to know what was going on before he told his sensei that she had shown up practically bawling her eyes out; hopefully, it was something that could easily be fixed. "I think she's ok…"

"Well, be sure to check up on her."

"Hm."

"You're probably wondering why I wanted to speak with you," the Yondaime said. "Lately, many shinobi have been risking their lives and many have ended up dead due to the Earth's advance on our frontlines. A war is going on and we need all the help we can get. That's where you come in."

"Me?"

"Yes, Kakashi, you. What would you think of starting a job at the academy?"

"The academy?" Kakashi asked incredulously. Of all the positions he thought he'd be offered, this was definitely not one he had in mind. Kakashi was terrible with kids, having little patience for their lack of skill or intelligence as he was wound up pretty tightly. What would make his sensei even offer him such a foolish job?

"What? Did you think I was going to make you an ANBU?" his sensei asked.

Kakashi nodded dumbly.

"Well, not just yet. You may be talented but you just don't have the teamwork experience that is needed. Some of the teachers at the academy are more suited for a position like ANBU and we wish to take them in as soon as possible. We've had our eyes on a few candidates for a while now but we needed to find replacements and that's where you come in."

"Uh…" Kakashi trailed off, unsure of what to say. "Why don't you choose Rin for this kind of thing? She loves kids."

"Sadly, Rin's expertise is needed elsewhere. Nearly everyone in the hospital is pulling all-nighters and triple shifts to accommodate the numbers of injured coming in everyday. I plan on calling her in tomorrow to discuss with her a position as vice head nurse. So, what about it Kakashi? Will you take this job?"

"Do I have a choice?" the younger boy asked, half jokingly.

"That's my student! Don't worry; you'll make a fine teacher."

A fine teacher? Kakashi? The mere thought was quite laughable, but Kakashi chose a more witty response than laughing. "Of course I'll be fine; I'm great at everything."

"Haha," his sensei laughed sarcastically, "glad the success isn't going to your head or anything. You're dismissed."

When Kakashi arrived back at his apartment, he noticed that Rin was still asleep. Quietly, he gathered a few ingredients and prepared a small lunch for himself, finishing at around an hour later. Just at that time, Rin woke up as well. Letting the smells of various foods guide her, she waded over to Kakashi's kitchenette.

"What are you making?" Rin asked, and at the sound of her voice, he gave a startled jump, not knowing that she was awake. "Sorry," she added.

"Food," Kakashi answered.

Rin rolled her eyes at his response and looked over his shoulder at the food he had prepared. "Smells good," she commented.

Kakashi gave a sideways glance at her, responding, "Well, it probably won't taste half as good as it smells."

She gave a shrug and moved to the cabinets. "Where do you keep your plates?"

"Over there," he motioned to the lowest cabinet on the right-hand side.

She brushed past him and continued on her way to the plates, while Kakashi took the food off of the stove. The two manoeuvred around each other as though they had been doing it all their lives; everything was so fluid, so natural, and the pair were seemingly comfortable around each other.

Key word: seemingly. He didn't know what it was but something about this particular moment really made Kakashi uncomfortable. Perhaps it was the fact that he didn't like to be close to people, physically and emotionally, and the size of the kitchen was definitely not helping his cause. Then again, maybe it was that he didn't understand how she could be so distraught one moment, apathetic another, and perfectly normal the next; the uncertainty and variation of her emotions must be contributing in some manner to his discomfort. Or maybe, just maybe it was that he wasn't sure why he felt so warm, so normal in this moment. He was uncomfortable about his comfort.

Whatever the reason, his discomfort abruptly ended when Rin took out the plates and cups, moving out of the kitchenette to place them on the small, wooden dining table. The table was to the left of the kitchenette and nearly in the centre of the small main room. The room behind it led to the bedroom and off to the left of the bed, was the bathroom. The table's material was a wood that resembled pine, and had 4 ornate matching chairs. Kakashi emerged from the kitchen just moments later, carrying a small pan of the food and a loaf of bread.

"Eat," he commanded, setting the food down on the table and taking a seat across from her.

Rin obeyed and was pleasantly surprised as she noted how decent of a cook he was. The two ate in silence, each having their own questions but not yet daring to voice them. Finally, after what seemed like hours, Rin broke the silence. "So what did Sensei want to see you for?"

Kakashi nearly laughed as he remembered what he considered the recent and absurd meeting with his Sensei about a job at the academy. "He wanted to assign me a job," he told her, trying to make the situation sound more important than it was.

"What kind of job?" she prodded.

"…A teaching job."

"You? Teaching? What, at the academy?"

Kakashi nodded.

Rin stifled a laugh.

He glared.

She smiled apologetically. "Sorry, but I would never take you for the teaching type."

"I didn't really have a choice."

"Oh."

"Sensei's going to want to talk with you tomorrow as well."

"Why? Do I get a teaching job too?"

"I think yours has something to do with the hospital."

"Hm," she nodded thoughtfully, "that's not that bad."

Neither had anything to say; thus, silence quickly enveloped them. Kakashi had wanted to ask about her state when she'd shown up at his place earlier, but upon giving her a glance and seeing her features so peaceful, he decided to postpone his interrogation. Watching the clock, he saw minutes, hours goes by until he knew that it was getting too late to be able to postpone any longer. Taking a deep breath, he asked her, "What happened?"

"What do you mean?" Rin asked, obviously confused at the sudden question.

"You don't usually come by crying."

"Oh, that," was the only response he received and silence once again engulfed them.

"You going to tell me anything?" he bluntly inquired.

"No," she replied simply, staring down at the floor. "Can I stay with you for a little while?"

"Huh?" Kakashi nearly fell back out of his chair from surprise.

Rin seemed to have mistaken his surprise for anger or something else because she immediately turned red and went back to looking at the tiled floor. "It would only be for a bit, just until I could get my stuff together."

"Uh, don't you have any family you could stay with?" He wasn't opposed to the idea of her living in the same apartment, partly because he knew that she wouldn't just ask for any reason. If she was asking to stay, it probably meant that something happened which rendered her incapable of finding a place to live. Still, it was a good idea in his mind to check with her first and make sure there weren't any other options; after all, his apartment was small and not in the best condition. Surely a family member could provide a more adequate place of residence.

At his question, Rin tensed and began to stare even more intently at the tiles, seemingly fascinated with them; either that or just too embarrassed to look up. "My dad lives in another country…and my mom…" she trailed off.

Noticing the change in her voice, Kakashi knew he had hit a touchy subject and needed to apologize. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry but it's just that my apartment's kind of small and it's not in one of the best neighbourhoods," he voiced to her his true concerns.

Rin gave a sigh; she had originally been a bit more than embarrassed at asking him but now this Q&A session they were having had begun to piss her off. "Can I stay with you?" she asked again, her tone hardened at the beginning but became soft at the end, knowing how she was supposed to act when asking for a huge favour such as this.

"You sure you have no where to go?" Kakashi could almost kick himself for asking such a stupid question. Of course she didn't have anywhere or else she wouldn't have come to him.

"I got evicted from my apartment," she told him, confirming his idea. "Like I said, it wouldn't be for very long, just until I could get myself another place and some more money."

"Yeah; yeah, you can stay," Kakashi gave his final reply after a few minutes of thought. Of course, it should have been a no-brainer; one of your friends comes up to your house, in hysterics, tells you they have no place to stay and they're one of the few people you have left in this world; obviously you can't turn them down.

Upon hearing his final answer, Rin jumped out of her seat, tears brimming her eyes yet a giant smile on her face and told him, "Thank you so much!"

As he stood up, she jumped at him and gave him a short but rather tight hug. "Uh, no problem," he answered, eyes wide.

"Ok," she told him excitedly, heading towards the door, "so I'll go and get a few of my stuff and I'll be back in about half an hour. I promise I'll be the best roommate ever! And of course I'll pay for half the rent and groceries and whatnot. I have no issues with paying my share of anything; it's just I can't really afford a decent place right now. Again, thank you so much!" and with that she darted out the door, leaving Kakashi standing in the apartment, wondering if it would be to his benefit or not that she'd be staying.

True to her word, Rin appeared back half an hour later, 2 large cardboard boxes hiding her face. Carefully, she set them down near the kitchen table while Kakashi gave her the official tour of the house.

"Well, here's the kitchen but I'm sure you know everything about it already. The living room is just an old couch and a coffee table but I hardly ever use it so it's not that old. Hope you're not expecting anything too great; this place is pretty in the dumps."

"I think it's perfect Kakashi," Rin smiled at him, grateful that he'd given her a place to stay. "The walls are white and you have big windows so you must get quite a lot of light in here!"

"Yeah," he agreed, "it can get pretty sunny. Now this is the bedroom; I've emptied out a few drawers so you can put your things in there and last but not least, the bathroom. It's pretty simple but there's a few things you need to know: first off, our building's indoor plumbing sucks. If you want hot water, make sure that you cannot hear any water running through the pipes and for the shower you need to turn the knob all the way and then pull the little acorn thing."

"Got it. Thanks again for letting me stay and you know what? You've got a pretty nice place."

Kakashi snorted disbelievingly at her comment.

"No seriously!" she continued. "With a little fixing, this place could look really nice! I really like the wall panelling in the bedroom; it's pretty unique!"

"Uh…thanks."

Rin gave a tired yawn. "I'm kind of sleepy; let's worry about putting my things away tomorrow. Since it's the weekend, you won't have to work at the academy."

"Ok," he nodded, "but we still have to figure out where you'll sleep. I only have one bed."

"But it's made up of two mattresses; can't I sleep on one and you sleep on one?"

"Well, they're pretty old so the springs that are popping out will scratch you if we each take one. It's ok, I'll sleep on the table."

"On the kitchen table? That's ridiculous Kakashi! You're too tall for that table! I'll take it since I'm shorter," Rin said and made her way over to the table.

Kakashi held his arm out, stopping her. With a serious look in his eyes, he said, "No way. You're not sleeping on the table."

"But why?"

Not wanting to listen or answer to her questions, he simply yet firmly commanded, "Take the bed."

Seeing that she wasn't going to make him budge from his ideas, she heaved a defeated sigh and took her place on the bed. "Fine," she pouted, "but we're fixing the whole mattress thing tomorrow."

Kakashi nodded in agreement and as he was about to walk out of the room, her voice stopped him. "Good night and thanks again."

"'Night," he replied as he shut off the apartment's lights.

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AN: Did you guys like it? Dislike it? Let me know!


	2. The Mattress

**AN:** Here it is you guys, the wondrous second chapter! I really needed to put it up today because this weekend I'll be pretty busy with school stuff and only after Tuesday will all my projects and whatnot cease to exist. So, kick back, relax, and enjoy this lovingly crafted chapter:)

Disclaimer: I do _not _own Naruto.

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After receiving a good night's sleep, Rin awoke early the next morning only to find that she was alone in the apartment. Her first reaction was to panic; after all, her roommate and teammate disappearing at six in the morning was not a natural occurrence but she relaxed as she remembered that he'd taken to visiting Obito's grave every day for the last year. At the thought she began to feel a little guilty for she visited the boy's grave only once a month. 

She knew that it would be a while until Kakashi came back and Rin used that time to make a decent breakfast for herself, a task that was proving difficult from Kakashi's deserted cupboards. Reaching far back into one of the top shelves, she managed to find some remnants of a package of cereal and decided that it would have to suffice until they went grocery shopping. When she heard the door open and saw Kakashi come in, she smiled casually at the boy and bid him good morning. His only response was a nod and she concluded it was because he was in a solemn mood, having just come back from his best friend's grave. Rin attempted to start a conversation by offering him breakfast but soon gave up as he claimed tonelessly that he'd already eaten.

Knowing that he'd need time to recover, she padded silently back into the kitchenette, washed her dishes and placed them back in their respective spots before going to the bathroom and changing into her daily attire. When she came back out he still made no move to greet her or strike up any form of conversation but alas, this was Kakashi and such was expected of the boy. Opting to leave him on his own for a while, Rin left to go get the groceries she'd been meaning to, shutting the door quietly behind her.

Hours later she arrived in front of the apartment, flustered and panting as she set down one of the many bags she'd been carrying and knocked on the door. "Who is it?" came the alert voice of Kakashi.

'Well, seems he's back to normal,' Rin noted to herself.

"Who is it?" his voice was heard more loudly.

Rin rolled her eyes at the door, or rather, the person behind it. It was amazing how his paranoia could surface for the littlest of things. "The girl of your dreams," she replied sarcastically and heaved a sigh. "Just open up, Kakashi."

Only moments later, the boy emerged from behind the door, the sour look on his face meeting with the equally sour one on hers. "Honestly," she commented exasperatedly, "you should know it's me. Were you expecting anyone else?"

He did not answer her question, only took the grocery bags out of her hands and helped her get them to the kitchen. The pair found themselves once again squashed in the small kitchenette, as they attempted to put away the groceries into their proper pantries and cupboards. Originally, Kakashi had offered to do it himself, but Rin told him that she too wanted to know where the food was being stored, thus she had joined him.

As Rin reached across Kakashi to stash the cereal in the shelf to the right of his head, her hand lightly brushed against his toned chest. Immediately she felt him stiffen and saw his arm become immobile. Blush creeping across her cheeks at the electric shock her hand had sustained, she awkwardly mumbled an apology. He'd given a stiff nod in reply and continued working almost as if nothing had happened.

Needless to say, the rest of the time they'd spent putting away foods had been shrouded in discomfort and Rin was very relieved when she put the last bag of milk into the fridge and exited the small kitchenette. Not a word was exchanged for a few hours between the two, Kakashi going out to train and Rin being left at home to prepare lunch.

As usual, she was the one to initiate a conversation, the heavy pressure of silence too overbearing.

"Um, Kakashi?" she began timidly, hoping that he was too distracted by his food to notice her nervousness.

"Hm."

"I don't wish to sound like a pest, but what are we going to do about the mattresses?"

"I'll just saw the mattresses in half or chidori them or something," he replied offhandedly.

"Chidori the mattresses?" Rin glanced at him inquisitively, all traces of nervousness gone from her features as well as her insides.

Kakashi nodded.

"Oh yes…let's put a jolt of lightning through metal…which conducts electricity. Kakashi, you are the most brilliant child I've ever met."

He glared at her. "You come up with an idea then."

"Why don't we just buy a new mattress?"

"They're _expensive_."

"Well, it wouldn't be that bad if we split the cost and got two of them. Think about it; we'd not only have _two_ new mattresses but we'd each be paying for _one_."

"It's still expensive."

"You wouldn't need to sleep on the table."

"I don't have to sleep on the table. I can just share the bed."

Across the table, Rin's eyes widened to the size of saucers and she gave a small cough in a mix of embarrassment and surprise. Curious as to why she was acting so strangely, it took Kakashi a few moments to realize what he'd just said.

"I-I d-didn't mean it like that!" he stuttered out, just as embarrassed as she. "What I meant was…oh forget it. Come on," he motioned for her to get up.

"What?"

"We have to go buy mattresses don't we?"

Upon hearing this, Rin's demeanour changed entirely. Happily, she nodded and followed Kakashi out the door.

In this time of war, trade had ceased and because Konoha was a shinobi village, not a manufacturing company, mattresses were something that was hard to come by. Luckily for them, Rin had many connections with merchants and shopkeepers in the small village, so she managed to find access to a few comfortable and rather affordable ones. Normally, mattresses in the village cost around $107,208 yen but Rin had managed to find some at the much more affordable price of $53, 621 yen each.

"We can have these delivered to you by Tuesday, Miss Rin," the shopkeeper told her politely.

"Uh well, we kind of need them a little earlier than that. Tuesday is 3 days away," she responded.

"When do you need them for then?"

Rin smiled graciously and told him, "We'd really like it if we could get them by tonight."

The shopkeeper shook his head. "Now normally Miss Rin, I don't do same day purchase and delivery but," he held up a hand to silence her oncoming protest, "I'm forever indebted to you for taking care of my sick wife so I'll tell you what. This one time I'll make an exception and send you two of my finest delivery boys to take these mattresses to your house." He finished with a wink.

"Thank you so much! This really means a lot to me!" Rin thanked.

"No problem sweetie." He looked over at her, scrutinizing her face. "Say now, aren't you a little young to be moving in with your boyfriend?"

"Oh!" Rin yelped, a blush taking over her cheeks for at least the second time that day. "Kakashi's not my boyfriend," she informed.

The shopkeeper turned his attention immediately to Kakashi, staring back and forth between him and Rin in surprise. "Kakashi? Hatake Kakashi?" he asked, obviously to Rin.

She merely nodded, giving a small smile.

Kakashi's face remained blank, not saying anything or doing anything but his thoughts were definitely voicing themselves inside his head. _'Hatake Kakashi?'_ he mocked the shopkeeper. _'No, I'm the other Kakashi with silver hair. Baka.'_

Looking back and forth between the two again, the shopkeeper made a motion for Rin to follow him for a moment. "Now sweetheart, are you sure you want to stay with Hatake Kakashi?" the man inquired. "I've heard some things," he told her, looking back over at Kakashi.

"Oh?" Rin questioned, looking over at Kakashi with the shopkeeper. "What have you heard?"

Noticing their stares, Kakashi turned and looked at the two, an annoyed expression on his face.

The shopkeeper turned his gaze away. "Well Miss Rin, I've heard that quite frankly he's trouble."

Obviously hearing them for he was only two meters away, Kakashi gave a snort of indignation. How dare this man suggest such a thing?

Unknowing about Kakashi's ability to hear their conversation, the shopkeeper went on. "He's the kind of guy who good girls like you shouldn't consort with."

A bit offended at this man's judgement of Kakashi but understanding his concern, Rin pointed out that she could handle herself and informed the shopkeeper that Kakashi, despite the vicious rumours circulating about him, was a good person.

"Well, if you like him Miss Rin, that's all that matters," the shopkeeper concluded. "Now for the delivery, I'll be sending over my two best men, as I said. They're also my sons," he grinned proudly. "Ryuu! Akio! Get down here!"

The sounds of footsteps running down the stairs were heard and just moments later two boys, perhaps just a few years older than Kakashi appeared in the room.

"These are my sons," the shopkeeper explained to Kakashi and Rin. "Ryuu," he motioned over to a boy with short, spiky light brown hair and bright blue eyes, "And Akio!" he motioned over to a boy with medium-length black hair and hazel eyes.

"At your service!" the two young men grinned.

"What work do you have for us today father?" Ryuu, the seemingly older son, inquired.

"You must take these two mattresses," the man pointed to two new-looking white mattresses in a corner, "and deliver them to Rin-chan and Hatake-san's place of residence!"

"Hai!" the sons gave their father a salute, each picking up a mattress and wading out the door.

Kakashi followed them, wanting to make sure that his precious new mattresses (which he'd spent way too much money on, in his opinion) were going to arrive safely without so much as a scratch. He helped them load the mattresses in their delivery cart and together, the three of them waited for Rin to appear so they could begin their trip.

Back inside the store, Rin was thanking the shopkeeper multiple times for his hospitality and services, as well as paying him. As soon as the business transaction was finished, she rushed outside to meet her teammate and the delivery boys.

Surprisingly enough to Kakashi, the two delivering the mattresses to his home had done a very good job of getting them there immaculately. The only problem he had with them was that they didn't want to help him take the old mattresses downstairs to the garbage.

"Why not?" he was currently arguing. "You brought mattresses up and it's a lot easier to take them down. Just do it."

"Nope, sorry bud. We can't," Akio told him.

"Come on! It's not that hard!"

"Sorry."

Kakashi gave a sigh of defeat and frustration, only too glad when Rin came to take over the situation. "Leave this to me," she'd told him quietly and he backed away as soon as she'd spoken those words.

"Now," Rin turned to the other two boys, "you two seem like very kind and reasonable gentlemen. Would you mind helping me get these two old mattresses off my hands? They're really heavy and my friend over there isn't nearly as strong as you two. Surely, you could help me, couldn't you?"

Letting her praise sink in, Rin watched as the delivery boys' expressions went from contradictory to cheerful. "Well," Ryuu said, "if it'll help a cute little lady like you, we'd be happy to."

"Thank you boys," she smiled at them, "you're very sweet."

Kakashi just sat back and watched the scene unfurl, from Rin giving the boys compliments to ordering them around and making sure they didn't damage the apartment during their moving. Ten minutes later she came back up to the apartment, exhausted and collapsed on one of the new mattresses, claiming it as her own.

"We've gotten a lot done today," she announced proudly.

"We only had to deal with infinite amounts of incompetence and people who were sure I was going to kill them any second," Kakashi countered.

"Don't be so negative," she chided. "Make yourself useful and prepare dinner."

"Fine. What do you want?"

"There's some instant ramen in the top left-hand cupboard."

"Fine."

Ten minutes and five microwave explosions later, Kakashi emerged from the kitchen, carrying two bowls of instant ramen. Handing one to Rin, he took a seat on the mattress beside hers and began eating, his body begging for food after the mattress carrying he'd done.

"Ok," he said finally, "time to sleep. Do you want the washroom or shall I go?" he asked.

When he received no response, he looked over to notice Rin already asleep, the empty ramen bowl placed neatly beside her mattress. Sighing, he pulled out a blanket from the dresser and draped it on top of her. "Guess it's me then."

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**AN:** Hope you guys liked it! As always, please feel free to leave as long and detailed as a review you like. Constructive crit is something that I always appreciate so if you find flaws in my fic, whether they be with regards to content or to spelling/grammar issues, I urge you to let me know about them immediately.

Any other questions or concerns you have should be PM'd to me directly, thanks. :)


	3. Toothbrushing

**_Author's Note: _**I am so sorry that it took me this long to update but in my defense, I was recovering from a cold. So hopefully, everyone reading won't mind and will continue to read this lovingly crafted chapter. As always, please read and review; let me know your thoughts, feelings, and especially all your constructive criticisms!

I also want to take this time to thank those who have continued to review, you guys have really kept me going: _Sakra-chan, snappa, catgirl9696, Joiz.D, catwomanswrath, and greenday.love! Thank you all so much!_

Disclaimer: I do _not_ own Naruto.

* * *

There was only one time when Rin and Kakashi would share the bathroom space; that was when they brushed their teeth. 

However, for Rin that time was not spent just brushing her teeth, it was also spent dancing. She would take her music player, which had been lovingly given to her by her father, and place it in her pocket, turning up the volume and singing along with the songs.

Now normally Kakashi hated any karaoke type activity but he had decided that it was nice to have the dull apartment seem animated once in a while, even though Rin's voice was not exactly that of a celebrity singer and gargling toothpaste at the same time didn't help either. What never ceased to amaze him though was that it seemed like she had a song for every situation, for every mood and she always reflected that through her singing/dancing.

Only a few times had he regretted letting her bring the music player into the washroom. One of those times had been after a particularly sunny and cheerful day when Rin had supervised those with only minor injuries at the hospital. She had arrived at the apartment in a happy mood, greeting Kakashi with a nice dinner and a warm smile, and when it came time to brush her teeth, she had put on a song to fit her bright mood. Kakashi had heard the bass/club beat of the music and even he had to admit that it was slightly catchy.

Even though his back was turned to her because he didn't want her to see him without his mask, he could tell that she had started dancing because of the way her feet shuffled and the tiles beneath them gave a small creak. He had expected her to start dancing and swaying, for it was what she always did, but he had definitely not expected her hip to make contact with his. Thus, when it did, he had tensed and turned around to splutter, "Rin! What was that for?!"

Rin, if she hadn't been aware of the seriousness in Kakashi's voice would have laughed at the boy who was now lecturing her with a mouth full of foamy toothpaste. "Oh lighten up Kakashi," she told him, "and if you're going to lecture me, do it when you're not foaming at the mouth. Honestly," she huffed, upset that he had ruined her good mood moment, "you look rather like a rabid animal."

He shot her a look but complied with her request, spitting out the toothpaste in the sink. "Now," he was ready to lecture her again but was stopped when he noticed her mouth was opening and closing quite mechanically.

"Oh my god…" she whispered but Kakashi's ears seemed to have picked up on the sound.

"What?"

"Y-you-your face," she managed to stutter out, still wide-eyed.

Misinterpreting what she had meant, Kakashi turned away, suddenly self-conscious. Rin caught on to the boy's misinterpretation and shook her head at him. "No, that's what I meant. Turn back."

He did as he was told, keeping his eyes glued to the floor and a hand rubbing against his neck out of nervous habit. She reached her hand up, it long having left the click wheel of her music player, and gently ran her fingers near his cheek. He jumped back as if she had burned him. This allowed Rin to get a better look at the would be famous face of Hatake Kakashi. "Wow…I can see why you have to wear that mask; if you didn't, the whole female population would be after you!"

"Seriously though," she added as an afterthought, "why do you wear the mask?"

He looked reluctant to answer her and seemed as if he was almost begging to be let out of the room, the only thing between the doorway and him was Rin. She sensed his discomfort and explained to him that he didn't have to tell her if it made him uncomfortable.

He paused, sighed and nodded. "It's ok," he said heavily, "I'll tell you." He looked back down at the tiled floor. There was a quality to Rin that had become even more apparent to him after Obito's death, which he couldn't quite put his finger on or properly describe. The closest he got to describe it in his mind was that when you were in Rin's presence, she made you feel like spilling all your secrets and that, if you did, she'd be able to help you through anything.

Maybe it stemmed from the fact that even though she had seen so much blood and death and destruction in her relatively short lifespan, she still smiled one of the brightest smiles he'd ever seen and she was still kind and optimistic. He made a mental note to ask her about it later.

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

"It's ok, the reason isn't that personal."

She nodded in understanding and patiently waited for him to start, knowing that whatever he was going to tell her, he told her in utmost confidence and secrecy, which made her feel warm inside. It was nice to know that he trusted her.

"Well, first off, I wear it because I have a ridiculously good sense of smell. It makes any normal smell magnify to about 50 times its intensity, which, without the mask, would make me sick. The other reason…well…let's just say that they didn't call my father Konoha's White Fang for nothing."

She gave him a look of confusion. After Obito's death, they'd had quite a few long talks about things and Kakashi had let her know about his father and the tragic past he held. Rin of course, felt nothing short of sadness for the boy and the life he'd had to live but even with all the information he'd given her, she still couldn't make the link between his past and what he was now telling her.

He sighed upon looked at her face. Of course she wouldn't have gotten it. "Look," he commanded, pulling up his top lip.

She obeyed and was met with Kakashi's pearly white teeth, two of which seemed longer than the others. Almost like…fangs. Oh! Her face donned a look of understanding as she put two and two together. Pushing her gently aside, Kakashi decided that he had spent enough time mask-less; the scent of her perfume was threatening to give him a migraine and a week's worth of nausea.

"Alright," he said as he came back into the washroom, mask on his face, "you asked a question so I'll ask a question."

"Ok," she agreed. It seemed fair enough.

"How can you still smile so damn much after everything? How can you still think that somewhere there's good?"

"I really don't know," she laughed, shaking her head. "I guess that I believe that we're all generally good and we've only been altered by bad things that have happened to us. To me, it just doesn't make sense to spend my life moping around, half-dead when I was given this life to live it. And well, I guess that it's because I don't make the same mistake that a lot of people do; I don't rely on others really for my happiness because heck, if I did then I'd never be happy! So yeah, not sure if that answered your question but that about sums it up."

He stood completely still, as if lost in thought about what she had answered.

"But, there's also questions you have to ask yourself. What are your values? How do you want the world to see you, to remember you? Possibly, the most difficult and yet important question you need to ask yourself is: Are you who you want to be? Of course from that question, there are loads of others that you need to ask yourself before being able to answer it, such as: Who _do_ you want to be?

I mean, they're difficult questions to ask yourself and even more difficult to answer, but I think they're a key part. You've also got to remember that this is your life. No one else can live it for you and only you have control of how it goes. Things like Obito's death are things you didn't, don't have control over but you can control how you react and develop from events like that. Ok, now you've got me rambling. I'll stop."

Kakashi blinked, trying to absorb all the information from her explanation. "I hadn't even thought about that," he told her truthfully.

"Well, that's why you have people like me," she grinned, "Now come on, we need to get some sleep. You start your job at the academy tomorrow."

Rin walked out of the bathroom, heading towards her bed. Kakashi stood in the doorway for a few moments watching her, contemplating what she had said. Finally, for the first time since he could remember, he agreed with Obito; there was something definitely admirable about this girl.

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**_Author's Note:_** Well, there was chapter 3. I'm sure that you can all tell (or at least guess) what chapter 4 will be about. As always, I encourage you all to leave constructive crits in your reviews, which means basically telling me if you thought someone was out of character or if I had any spelling/grammar errors or if you didn't like something in particular. 


	4. First Days

**_Author's Note:_** I have finally put up chapter four, yes! I had a sudden surge of inspiration on this particular evening and finished up the chapter. I must apologize because this chapter is slightly more Kakashi-centered and doesn't contain a lot of Rin but I promise there'll be more of the lovable medic-nin next chapter! Thank you to everyone who has given me reviews; I can't single you guys out so this chapter is dedicated to all of you! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do _not_ own Naruto.

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"Kakashi, wake up!" The boy in question stirred upon hearing his name, wondering what the entire ruckus was about. The pair had been living together for two weeks thus far and he still had yet to figure out that it was her name that was calling him to awaken.

"What?" he asked sleepily.

"Come on! Get dressed! You're going to be late for your first day!"

He groaned. Today was the day when he'd start his infamous job as a sensei. Why he had been chosen for such a job? The reason was still beyond him. Slowly, he stood up and made his way over to the closet, grabbing his clothes before heading to the bathroom to get ready for what he assumed would be a tiring day.

When he got to the bathroom door, he realized it was locked. "Rin! Let me in, I'm going to be late!"

"No way!" The girl behind the locked door responded. "I am not coming out…not in this _thing_!"

"What _thing_?" Kakashi questioned impatiently. He really didn't want to have to deal with anything even slightly dramatic this early in the morning.

Rin heaved a sigh. "This medic nurse outfit…it's _despicable_! I think they got my size wrong!"

It took him a while to realize that she was referring to her new job's outfit, which had been delivered to their doorstep yesterday via mail.

"We'll get it fixed when you get to the hospital, now come _out_!"

"No!" She stubbornly protested.

Ok, now he was frustrated. He was definitely not a morning person, despite his insomnia and she was doing nothing to be getting on his good side right now. Kakashi pounded on the door a few times, threatening, "Rin, if you don't get out here right now I'm going to break down the door!" At the rate his morning was going, he really would too.

Just then the lock clicked and Rin stepped outside in her white medical uniform dress. Kakashi gave her a once over and threw up his hands in question. "What's wrong with it?"

"You honestly don't see?"

"No."

"It's like 5 inches too short! I can't go to work looking like this! It's completely unprofessional!"

"Your black dress isn't longer than this one," Kakashi pointed out to her. "Why don't you just put the apron over it?"

An unreadable expression crossed her face as she let his idea sink in. "You really are a genius," she told him before hurrying off to find said apron.

He smirked. "Damn straight," he replied, going into the bathroom.

Coming out just minutes later, Kakashi nearly ran out the door when he realized what time it was. "Hey! Hey!" Rin called after him. "It's ok; I set the clock to a little later so that you'd rush. You're going to be on time, so get back here!" Glaring, he walked back in the apartment. So she had set the clock specifically for him to panic? How nice of her…

She gave him a small smile. "At least have some breakfast before you go," Rin handed him something that was all bundled up and didn't look remotely like any food he'd ever seen but it definitely tasted more than decent. "Here's your lunch," she handed him another package.

"Uh, thanks."

She smiled brightly up at him, feeling much more comfortable now that the apron was around her waist. "No problem, now let's go before we're late."

Together the two walked out into the streets of Konoha, heading towards the hospital. No words were exchanged along the way, except for Rin telling Kakashi that she'd meet him at the academy around 5.

When Kakashi arrived at the academy, he immediately noticed the large amount of students swarming the academy. Had there been this many when he'd gone here? He doubted it; the academy's capacity seemed to have tripled over the years. Walking in to the slightly familiar place, he headed over to where the other senseis were congregating.

"Hatake Kakashi," he simply stated, knowing that they'd place him immediately with his group. The director motioned over to where a group of 3 young children were standing, looking bored out of their skulls. "Be careful," the director warned Kakashi, "they're the toughest bunch we have this year."

Kakashi nodded to show he acknowledged the statement before heading over to the group of 3. Getting closer, it appeared to him that there was nothing special about these particular 'brats'. They looked normal enough and were the basic three-man cell, with two males and one female.

"Yo," he greeted them as he came over.

A boy of about ten years of age with large spiky blond hair that stuck out all ways and big blue eyes asked, "Who are you? Where's sensei?"

"As of now, I am sensei."

"That's not fair!"

"Life's not fair kid, get used to it."

The blonde boy frowned at the man before him, quickly deciding that he did not like his replacement sensei at all. "What's your name?" he demanded to Kakashi.

"Hatake Kakashi," Kakashi responded, the mention of his name drawing a few awed gasps from the mouths of his new young pupils. "Now who are you guys?"

"I am Kaemon Sasaki!" The blonde male declared proudly. He was dressed in a sky blue t-shirt and plan grey shorts.

"A loser," jokingly added the girl beside him, one with brownish-reddish hair and honey coloured eyes. "I on the other hand, am Miyake Haruhi and I will be the number one Chuunin in all of Konoha!" She put her hand out, one finger raised to indicate the number one, a mix of a devilish and arrogant grin crossing her face. Haruhi was dressed in a knee-length white wrap dress with a burgundy and blue collar, her forehead protector tied around her right arm.

Kakashi smiled at the two exuberant students of his. Turning to the last member, a boy with short navy hair and indigo eyes, dressed all in navy, he realized that this was probably the anti-social one of the group. "Murakami Nikko," the boy responded, looking away.

"Oh, don't mind him," Haruhi popped into Kakashi's field of view, "he's just upset because our old sensei promised to teach him a cool technique and now he won't get a chance to learn it!"

"Cool technique huh? I know how that feels. So, how long have you been a team?"

"Almost one year," she informed him.

"Nearly one year? You've been out of the academy for a while then?"

The three nodded simultaneously. "Why do you still meet here then?" Kakashi asked confused. Only academy students were supposed to be on the academy grounds.

"We've always met here; sensei used to tell us that it was the safest place in Konoha and that we should meet here every time."

"Aa. Well let's go for a little training huh?"

At this, all three students seemed to perk up immediately and an aura of excitement surrounded them. Kakashi led them to a forest within the training grounds. His new students paired off and prepared themselves for sparring when Kakashi told them that they'd be doing a different type of training. Truth be told, ever since Obito died he'd learnt the importance of teamwork and trust on a team so the training that he'd be doing with his students today would be centred around that. Though the job's starting date had been postponed, that had given him more time to develop a training method to test their abilities in terms of teamwork and he had come up with his.

Pulling two bells out of his pocket, he tied them around a belt-hole in his pants while his students looked on at him quizzically. "Your training for today will be to get these bells from me. You have five hours and can use any method you choose."

Haruhi and Nikko seemed to brighten up at his words; glad for such a challenge but Sasaki groaned in protest and wondered out loud why they were doing such a pointless form of training. "If it's so pointless," Kakashi had told him, "then you shouldn't have a problem getting them from me."

Sasaki nodded and charged directly at Kakashi, making hand-seals as he went. "Kage bunshin no jutsu!" He shouted and five clones of himself appeared rapidly, running alongside the original. Kakashi threw the boy a bored look, shooting at him a shuriken, annihilating all the bunshin and hitting the original Sasaki in the arm.

Next up came Nikko, who threw a few senbon at his new sensei and gathered up chakra in his hands, preparing to strike and sever a tendon or ligament. _'Ah,' _Kakashi noted, _'he's the medic of the team'. _Dodging all the senbon expertly, Kakashi proceeded to manoeuvre his way around Nikko's chakra-filled hands, moving so quickly that Nikko hadn't even begun to realize that Kakashi was now behind him before it was too late. He was thrown down to the floor harshly, Kakashi twisting his arm. "Damn it!" Nikko and Haruhi cursed in unison. It was now her turn.

Haruhi, seeing that nin-jutsu didn't exactly work well against him, and gen-jutsu probably wouldn't either because of the Sharingan, she opted for the less subtle approach of tai-jutsu. It was her forte anyway and possibly the only way she could ever even hope to get a bell. Readying herself in a fighting stance, she charged quickly at her sensei, launching a few shuriken at him to distract him. Using the time she'd bought herself, she launched herself into the air, bombarding her new sensei with as many punches and kicks as she could. Eventually though, she ran out of limbs, and just like her other teammates, she was thrown unceremoniously onto the ground.

After that, the three Chuunin pupils retreated into the safety of the forest, each scolding themselves for underestimating their sensei. In hiding, they separately plotted the best way to their sensei's demise. Nevertheless, every time they came up to execute their plan, Kakashi would capture them in a gen-jutsu or catch their limbs in a trap or reappear behind them unexpectedly. Five hours and countless plots later, the three lay in the grass, exhausted, being looked at disapprovingly by Kakashi.

"None of you have managed to get the bells," he stated, "It's because you don't know what it means to be a true shinobi. It isn't just flashy skills and how many times you can take a hit. If they would let me fail you, I would but Konoha is in short supply of shinobi and thus cannot afford such a thing. I'll give you one more chance. You've failed the practical test but perhaps you can pass the theoretic one. You have one hour to figure out the answer to this question: Why did I design this test and what lesson must be learned from it? I am going to go eat my lunch while you three think it out. When I come back, you should have the answer or be prepared to face the ultimate punishment," and with that said, Kakashi left the three to ponder the response to his question.

The three Chuunin students looked at each other fearfully. They had no clue what the answer to his question could be but they definitely didn't want to find out what his idea of an ultimate punishment was.

While his students spent the hour racking their young brains for the right answer, Kakashi took a seat near the memorial, unwrapping the lunch Rin had made for him. He was very surprised when a few moments later, she sat next to him, eating her own lunch. "What are you doing here?" He asked her. "Don't you have work at the hospital?"

"It's lunch break," she replied smiling, "I wanted to come see how you were doing with your students. How are they doing?"

Kakashi sighed and shook his head. "Let's just say that the standards of Konoha have gone down drastically since the time that you and I graduated."

"They're that bad?" she asked disbelievingly.

"They just don't get it you know? The whole concept of teamwork and why you're put on a three-man team just hasn't even crossed their minds. They're so focused on individual ability that they don't know how to co-operate with each other."

"Forgive me, but weren't you the same?" Rin pointed out. "You can't exactly get mad at those kids for not understanding the concept of teamwork because you didn't even understand it until a short while ago."

"If they don't understand something so crucial then they shouldn't be allowed to be shinobi," Kakashi stuck by his statement.

"Are you saying then that you didn't deserve to be a shinobi?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. These kids wouldn't last an hour out there on their own. They'd cause too many innocent deaths, deaths that could be prevented."

"I agree with you Kakashi, but why don't you just teach them about the teamwork instead of expecting them to immediately get it?"

"Because this isn't something that you can just be taught and you'll understand it!" Even though he was half-yelling at her right now, Rin just sat there and looked at him with a huge smile on her face. She'd never seen him so passionate about something, especially something this important. He was right with everything that he was saying but to see him getting worked up about something and not in an entirely negative way pleased her immensely.

"You need to figure it out for yourself. With teamwork, you either get it or you don't! And if you don't get it, then you have no place being a shinobi! We're not just tools; we're living, breathing people who need to rely on one another!" He continued rambling, something very unlike him, and Rin was becoming increasingly shocked – in a positive way- by the words coming out of his mouth. She'd realized that he'd grown from Obito's death, maturing in the best way possible, but she'd never even considered that his ideals had performed a 180 and were now the exact opposite of what he'd previously thought. And she definitely didn't think that she'd live to see the day when Hatake Kakashi admitted that people needed to rely on one another.

When he stopped rambling, Rin looked down at her watch and saw that it was time for her to head back. "Hatake Kakashi," she notified him proudly before going, "you've really grown. You'll be a great sensei."

He looked after her as she walked away, making sure that nothing happened to her while she was still in his view. A new feeling of satisfaction overtook him as he noted the pride in her voice when she'd spoken to him. In a bit more of a chipper mood, he returned to where his students were, hoping that they'd have figured out the answer to his question already. Unbeknownst to him, all three of his pupils had hidden themselves away during the hour in the safety of the forest and had listened in to his conversation with Rin, his words sinking deep into their hearts and really making them think twice about what it meant to be placed on the team they were.

When he got to the place in which he'd left them, they were all huddled together, Haruhi in the middle, her arms around the other two's shoulders. "Sensei," she proclaimed, "we have the answer to your question!"

"It's teamwork; that's the lesson we were supposed to learn from the bell exercise. Instead of being selfish and trying to get the bells for ourselves, we should have worked together and that would have given us a better chance of obtaining them," Nikko continued.

"Teamwork is often key to successfully completing a mission and if you don't have that, then you could endanger the lives of those you're supposed to be protecting, your team-mates, and your village. Without teamwork, you will cause the deaths of many innocent people and fail all missions," Sasaki concluded.

Kakashi awarded them for their explanation with a smile. "You pass," he told them. "If there's one thing you must remember it is this; those who do not follow the rules are scum, but those who do not care about their team mates are even worse scum."

His words seemed to have stuck a chord in their heartstrings for for the next few training sessions, the three of them worked on perfecting their techniques as a group and how to co-operate with each other. By the next week, they'd managed to finally knock their new and –in their opinion- oh so lovable sensei flat on his back once, and Kakashi had treated them all to ramen as a prize of their accomplishment in the field of teamwork.

Later on, when Kakashi offered to teach Nikko a cool technique just like his previous sensei had promised, the young boy had graciously turned his offer down, grinning while letting Kakashi know that what he had taught them about teamwork had been the coolest and most inspirational thing that he could have hoped to learn.

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_**Author's Note:**_ Well, that was chapter four! Hope you liked it! As always, please leave as many lovely pieces of constructive crit for me as you can in your reviews!

_Joiz.D- Thank you so much for continuing to review on my fics! All your reviews mean a lot to me and I'm glad that you're always honest about how you feel with regards to certain fics._

_catgirl9696- Thank you for all the positive reinforcement. All your 'keep going's have really, well, kept me going:P_

_Sakra-chan- Yes, I too am a sucker for Kakashi/Rin-ness and they're moments, in any fic, tend to be written so heart-breakingly adorable or sad that it makes you want to cry!_

_YebbadebbaOnee-chan- I'm very happy you're liking it so far and I cannot wait until you put out a fic! Good luck with writing!_

_RealyManlyPimps- I have updated fairly soon, haven't I? Glad you enjoyed it so far!_

_snappa- Haha, your reviews are usually the longest and most detailed and they're a LOT of fun to read! Hope another chapter of 'The Dump, The Worm and The Nutcase' comes out soon!_

_chibibrain94- Thank you for all your kind words! Hope you enjoyed chapter 4 just as much as you enjoyed the previous 3!_

_Sachie-chan11- Yes! It's not a bad thing to dance when you brush your teeth! I do it all the time! xD Hope you liked chapter 4!_


	5. Be a man, Kakashi!

_**Author's Note: **Hey guys! Alright, so I'm trying to keep up with the weekly updates but sorry if this one came a little later than expected. I've just been really busy with schoolwork and this Friday I had two tests, one of them being math, so I needed to study! Anyway, this chapter has a pretty humorous tone to it so anyone who's in a little need of cheering up will probably enjoy it! Now, on with the ficcy!_

Disclaimer: I do _not_ own Naruto.

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On one particular morning, Rin awoke to the sounds of birds chirping and the sight of the sun smiling bright and cheerfully at her. However, it wasn't the sun or the birds that had made her stir. Her abdomen had been tightly constricting for the past hour, causing her to be in a state of constant pain. Unsure of why she would be in any pain, she arose gently, careful not to wake Kakashi and almost screamed at the sight before her.

Blood stained her sheets; there wasn't a lot of the sticky red substance but it was enough to form a miniscule pool near the bottom of her sheets. Realizing immediately what had happened, she quickly took the sheet of the bed, ready to wash it, and was relieved to find that the blood didn't soak through to the mattress. Rushing with the sheet to the washroom, she turned on the bath's faucet and attempted to clean what she could of the blood, when a knock on the door made her freeze.

"Rin? Are you ok in there?" she heard Kakashi call from the other side of the door.

"Yeah, I'm fine!" Rin replied, but she figured that Kakashi hadn't heard her because he knocked on the door with more urgency.

"Rin, answer me. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine!" Rin screamed her reply this time and she thought that Kakashi had heard her for the knocking on the door stopped.

Meanwhile though, Kakashi hadn't heard her replies at all and continued to try and get a response. "Rin, this isn't funny. Answer me." His only response was the sound of running water. "God damn it Rin, if you don't answer me, I'll come in!" Still he was met with no more than the sound of water.

Kakashi wondered if he should go in. Maybe there really was nothing wrong with Rin and she just hadn't heard him because of the water running, but what if there was? What if she was injured or worse, dying? Would he ever forgive himself for not entering? Deciding that he'd go in, no matter what consequences he'd have to face if it turned out she was ok, he turned the knob gently and entered the small washroom.

Of all things, Kakashi did not expect to see Rin scrubbing blood out of her sheets. "What is that?" he pointed to the blood spots on her sheets.

"Blood," she replied in a tone that suggested it was the most obvious thing in the world.

At having his suspicions confirmed, Kakashi's eyes began to hold a little bit of fear and panic, scanning her body for any signs of injury. "Why are you bleeding? Did someone attack you? Are you injured?"

Rin shook her head, turning her eyes to face the floor. "Then why were you bleeding?" Kakashi asked her, not sure if he should be angry because she was probably lying or confused because she might not be.

Her cheeks flushed red out of embarrassment, something that managed to only puzzle Kakashi further. "I…" she coughed shyly, "It's biological," she hinted, trying to make him get the message without flat out telling him. _Geez,_ she thought, _what an embarrassing situation._ She mentally scolded herself for not having prepared for it.

"Biological?" Kakashi repeated. "You mean it runs in your family? Is it some kind of sickness? Do you want me to take you to the hospital?"

"It's not just in my family," she explained, her face getting redder by the second. How was she going to explain this to him? "It's a biological process common with all females…" she trailed off, giving him time to think about what she'd just told him. If he really were the genius everyone acclaimed him to be, then he'd figure it out.

Kakashi let the idea mull over in his head. Blood…a female biological process…_Oh hell no_. Instead of blushing, he blanched completely. This was quite possibly the most awkward situation he had ever been in – or would ever be in for that matter. "Uh, do you have what you need or do you need to get something from the drugstore?"

Rin coughed lightly again, and Kakashi was sure that if she turned any redder she'd burst a vein or something. "I…I need to get something from the drugstore."

"Ok, well don't let me stop you," Kakashi said, walking briskly out of the bathroom.

"Wait!" Rin called after him and he stopped dead in his tracks. "The drugstore's like 15 minutes away and I can't leave the apartment like this."

He turned around, his muscles moving mechanically. All he wanted was for this uncomfortable moment to cease. "Well, then what do we do about _this_?"

Rin bit her lip nervously. "Could you go to the drugstore?"

Kakashi's heart nearly stopped beating. "Excuse me? I-I don't think I'm qualified for that."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously and Kakashi could only think of one thing before she erupted into anger: _Mood swings_. "There are no qualifications for this! Be a man Kakashi! I am in a hell of a lot of pain right now and you know, it wouldn't kill you to do this one thing for me! I never ask anything of you, and now that I need this one tiny favour from you, you're running off! What kind of friend are you?"

"Rin, I- there's a lot that a guy has to lose here! His pride, his dignity; that's a lot to ask of even a husband!"

"Yeah, well we both know how good you're going to be at being a husband then, don't we?!" She didn't even blush at that for she was much to busy releasing her steam at Kakashi.

He however, did notice what she had said and his now sheet white face took on a light pinkish hue. His mouth opened as if he were about to say something, but then he closed it.

Rin heaved an aggravated sigh, finally starting to calm down but still annoyed at the boy before her. "You know what? Just forget it. I knew you were too chicken to be able to do something like this."

"What?" Kakashi snapped.

"You heard me!" she snapped back.

"I am not chicken!" he protested.

"You know, I could always just call up Gai. I'm sure he'd be man enough to do it," Rin suggested out loud, already knowing a way to get Kakashi to agree to help her.

"Gai?" Kakashi asked through gritted teeth. "Are you implying that I'm less of a man than Gai? Sunset hugs Gai?"

"I'm not implying it," Rin replied, shrugging, "it's a simple fact."

Kakashi glared at her momentarily, before saying, "I'll be right back," and exiting the bathroom.

Rin watched his retreating back, confused. Was he leaving already? But she hadn't even told him what she needed yet. Her curiosity was only further piqued when he returned to the bathroom was a stack of small yet thick papers.

"You may not have prepared for something like this," he told her, "but I did." Turning the papers in his hand right side up, she noticed that they were photographs of all the different packaging of pads and tampons that the drugstore had to offer.

If there was a sight that Rin never imagined she'd see in her life, it was most definitely Kakashi in the bathroom, holding up pictures of tampons and pad packages.

She chuckled at the mere sight of them and Kakashi was once again unsure of whether he should be happy that the mood swing passed or upset that she was laughing at him. He opted for finding a middle point, and gave the pictures in his hand a shake. "So, which one is it?"

Stifling a laugh, Rin pointed to one on the right and managed to say, "The pink one."

Looking towards the one she'd pointed to, Kakashi quickly pocketed the photo and headed towards the door, Rin yelling a "Thank you!" after him. As he walked down the streets of Konoha towards the drugstore, he discovered that this little trip he was taking could quite possibly be the ultimate test of manliness. If he was able to retain his pride and dignity throughout the whole scenario, then he could truly call himself something of a man; well, at least more than Gai could.

Lost in his thoughts, Kakashi barely registered that he was now in front of what he'd forever call the drugstore of doom. Opening the door warily, he proceeded inside, heading directly towards the colourful stacks of feminine hygiene products.

Back at the apartment, Rin let herself revel in her own ingenious. The stunt she'd pulled comparing Gai and Kakashi then claiming that Gai was manlier had truly been a great use of her intelligence. Kakashi man enough to buy tampons? Who knew? Not Rin that was for sure. Contemplating more about this rather strange occurrence, Rin realized that, if worded correctly, there was a lot that she could probably make Kakashi do and that thought, now engrained in her mind, greatly pleased her. Her laughter rang throughout the empty apartment as she envisioned a stoic Kakashi standing in line at the drugstore, a pink package of tampons in his arms.

In the drugstore, Kakashi quickly found the pink package he'd set out to buy, and nimbly lifted it off the top shelf, stuffing it casually under his arm but hiding it well enough in the dark fabric of his t-shirt so that no one would notice. He turned sharply when he heard someone call his name. "Kakashi!"

"Asuma?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I needed to buy something."

"Oh?" Asuma questioned innocently. "What 'something' did you need to buy, especially when that something is pink?"

Normally Kakashi didn't have much against the boy before him besides the smell of cigarettes that always stained his clothes and his scruffy facial hair, but at the moment, he was thinking of adding his loud voice and curiosity to the list.

"It's just something," Kakashi persisted, hoping that either Asuma's line would move faster or that the other boy would just relent in his interrogation. However, Asuma was not feeling merciful or sympathetic to Kakashi's feelings.

"Yeah, I got that it's something," he responded gruffly, "but what is it exactly?"

"I'm not telling."

"Oh come on Hatake, don't be such a big baby."

Kakashi glared at Asuma. "I am _not _a baby."

"Stop acting like one then. Come on, just let me see. It's not like it's anything embarrassing!"

'_Yes,'_ Kakashi thought,_ 'it is very embarrassing. Now go away before I kill you.' _"Hn."

When Kakashi looked ahead to see if his line was moving, Asuma seized the opportunity and tugged the package from under his arms.

"Aha!" Asuma cried. "It's…tampons?" He looked weirdly at Kakashi. "Dude, what are you carrying tampons for?"

Kakashi glanced at him, the one look communicating everything Asuma needed to know. _Rin._

"Oh man," Asuma sighed, "She owns you now, doesn't she? You've got to be careful; you never know, you blink your eyes once and suddenly she's going to have you doing house chores like making lunch or something. And then, next thing you know, you'll be married and have kids and-" Asuma paused to shudder while Kakashi looked on, bemused. It's true what they said about cigarettes then, the toxins really did poison your mind.

Not having the time to think up a proper retort, Kakashi settled for, "She makes lunch," then mentally slapped himself upon realizing how stupid it sounded.

Asuma just shook his head in a pitying manner, put his hand on Kakashi's shoulder and muttered, "Poor boy never stood a chance," before walking away.

Shaking any ideas he had about the incident that had just occurred out of his mind, Kakashi focused on paying and getting out, silently praying that he wouldn't meet any of his other so called friends in the small drugstore and that he wouldn't come across any more possibilities of losing his pride.

After a long wait (in Kakashi's opinion) it was finally his turn in line and just his luck he'd landed the most talkative female cashier. The young woman, with a full head of blonde hair and eyes of sky-blue colour, reeked of bubblegum that she'd probably been chewing all her life. "Hey sweetie," she greeted Kakashi.

Pretending he didn't hear her, he greeted back, "Hi," and placed his small package on the scanner.

"So who are you buying tampons for cutie? Your girlfriend?"

Perhaps it was just in his mind, an illusion of sorts that had been created by his fear and embarrassment of the situation, but he could have sworn that the girl had practically yelled her words and sneered at him mockingly as well.

Ascertaining to himself that he'd come out of this a better, more mature person, he tried to pay no heed to the female's words or the blush that was slowly making its way up his cheeks. "My sister," he'd fibbed.

"Wow," the woman replied, seemingly believing his white lie, "your sister's one lucky girl."

He wanted to say, _damn right she is_ but alas, that would have been uncharacteristic of him. Paying her, Kakashi practically ran out of the store and back to his apartment. Yes, his safe apartment where there were none who could question his manliness or masculinity and none who would outright laugh at his misfortune.

Making it to his home in what he considered to be record time, Kakashi burst through the door, package still bundled in his arms. "Rin, I'm back!" he called throughout the small apartment and found her still slaving away at trying to get the bloodstain on her sheets out.

"Here," he panted, exhausted. "Here's your stuff."

Taking the plastic bag, which contained her objects of great need, she thanked him graciously and praised him over and over, hoping to make up for whatever scarring and bruising his ego had sustained throughout the duration of his trip. Reaching in, she pulled out her small package and immediately frowned.

Kakashi, ever the observant one, noticed and inquired, "What's wrong?"

Rin's frown only deepened, making her look annoyed but Kakashi knew she wasn't from the apologetic look in her eyes. Wait a minute, apologetic? Now he was seriously dreading what she was going to say and choked on an incoming breath when he actually heard the words come out of her mouth. "I told you I needed the hot pink package, not the salmon pink."

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_**Author's Note:** Alright guys and girls (let's be gender inclusive!) hope you enjoyed it and please remember to leave a nice, long, detailed review filled with constructive criticism for me:D You know, make my day if I made yours (and even if I didn't P)_

_Special Thanks To:_

_snappa- I'm glad you're satisfied after your daily dose:) Your concrit is always awesome for me to read and your reviews are so fun! I really like it that you let me know which specific parts you liked and all the praise I get! Aw, I'm not sure I deserve it all!_

_catgirl9696- Thank you once more for all the positive reinforcement. Even though you don't dish out the concrit, your kind words always make me feel happy with my work. :)_

_chibibrain94- Yay, you liked it! If you have any concrit for me, please feel more than free to insert it into your next review!_

_Sakra-chan- Don't feel bad about leaving long reviews: I love them! Your chapterly reviews are something I look forward to and I like how you point out the content things that you're unsure of just to make sure that I am aware of them and to get your questions answered:)_

_YebbadebbaOnee-chan- Haha! I hadn't even noticed the Team 7 reference I'd made until you pointed it out and even then it took me a while to get it! As I mentioned to snappa, I really like that you let me know which specific parts you enjoyed!_

_JoiZ.D- You're great! I love how you leave an honest review always and even more how you review everything! ;) All your positive reinforcement and concrit is one of the things I look forward to when I put out something new!_


	6. Someone To Come Home To

_**Author's Note: **Happy leap year day:D Since today is so special, I thought that I should probably put out chapter 6, and well, here it is! This chapter is not meant to be humorous in the slightest nor is it full of angst and it is much less eventful than the previous one so I hope that no one is too dissapointed. Thank you to all the readers and reviewers for taking the time to read/review my work; it has made me quite satisfied and I hope that you too feel like this isn't a waste of your time. Please enjoy my lovingly crafted chapter. :)_

Disclaimer: I do _not_ own Naruto.

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On a cool yet particularly sunny day, while Kakashi was at the market buying groceries, he started thinking about his life and other miscellaneous things, and he began to realize just how much everything had changed. Of course there was the absence of Obito, who had tragically passed away giving his life for his friends, and the current lack of Minato, who was becoming increasingly preoccupied with his duties as Hokage and as a soon-to-be father.

It wasn't just that though. Pretty much everything in Kakashi's life had pulled an almost complete 180, ranging from his attitude towards others, to his home life, to his life as a shinobi.

After nearly 8 years of solitude, he now had someone sharing his living space, a female no less. The change had definitely taken a lot of getting used to, for he couldn't now just parade about in his house after a mission solely in his boxers nor could he fill his body with instant food also known as junk. He was not allowed to leave the house without having tidied up and the dishes could not form stench-filled piles in his sink. He was forced to manoeuvre his hands throughout the bathroom cupboards, which were now filled with not only his hygiene products, but also his roommate's; though, he usually managed to find his things easily in the otherwise mass of bright colours.

Despite these all being inconveniences of having a roommate, after thinking about it, Kakashi could honestly say that he was more than happy to give those things up for the comfort and companionship that came along with having someone else in the house.

So he couldn't parade around in his boxers but on the flip side; he now always looked more than decent and didn't have to plead his landlord to turn the heat up during the winter months.

So he couldn't fill his body with junk food; Rin's cooking tasted much better anyway.

So he wasn't allowed to leave the house without tidying up or washing the dishes; it was a nice change to not find ant infestations that he had to spend his weekends killing.

The need to manoeuvre around his cabinets had most definitely been good for his body's physical state since he needed to bend over more often.

To add to his growing list of positives, he'd have said (in his mind, not aloud) that it was nice to have someone to discuss your day with, someone who would be content just sitting down with you during a meal and listening to you vent your frustrations and relay any good news. Going more in-depth with his thinking, he pondered that perhaps he enjoyed it so much because it was a luxury he hadn't had for most of his life. His father had usually been away from home a lot when he'd been alive, and his mother had been the same story. After both their deaths, Minato had popped in occasionally but after he started dating Kushina, the visits had become less and less frequent, until, eventually, they'd stopped altogether.

Even though living with another person meant having to look after someone else's safety and that, without a doubt, put an extra amount of stress and worry on one's self, it was sort of comforting to be preoccupied with something else, to know that you at least had someone who was worth caring for.

It really had been true; the past year's experiences really had changed him, and for the better. Where he hadn't been one to look for the positives in a situation, he could outline them quite easily now. Kakashi took note of this with a small smile, taking his grocery items up to the cash to pay for them.

Walking down the street, he'd been so absorbed in reflecting on his thoughts that he'd nearly missed his apartment building. Mentally berating himself for letting his mind wander like that, he climbed the stairs to his door, stuck the key in the lock, and entered his apartment.

"Oh good," a voice immediately greeted him from the kitchen, "you're back!"

Rin walked out of the small kitchen space, smiling warmly at Kakashi when she noticed the grocery bag in his arms. She took the paper bag from him, inspecting the contents while asking, "Did you get what I asked you to?"

Kakashi nodded. "Yeah, what do I get for it?"

Rin paused, tapping her finger lightly on her chin, as if deep in thought. "You get the inner satisfaction that comes along with completing an assigned task," she replied grinning.

Kakashi rolled his eyes and sighed, obviously dismayed by his so-called 'prize'.

"But," she added jovially, "The good news is that the consolation prize is a free dinner!" With that, she hurried back to the kitchen, leaving Kakashi to complete the mission report for his team's last mission.

Seated at the newly bought desk in the bedroom, Kakashi hurriedly finished his mission report, the smells wafting from the kitchen distracting his mind and stomach from the task at hand. He had just put down his pen when Rin popped from behind the doorframe, calling out, "Kakashi! Dinner's ready!"

"Hmm," he responded and Rin, having been taught how to speak the foreign language of the male, took this as "I'll be right there".

Meeting her at the pine table, he quickly sat down and began to eat. By this time of the day, Rin was rapidly amused at how messy of an eater Kakashi was. She would have thought that someone who carried him or herself with an air that practically commanded respect would have been more of a slow and neat eater. As she watched him eat with mild amusement in her eyes, she proceeded to tell him all about her day at the hospital and how she'd spent most of her chakra healing a severely injured ANBU in the OR. The good news, she'd told him, was that one of the patients she'd spent the last week treating had finally recovered and was discharged today.

He paused slurping up his noodles to comment to her, "That's good. You've given that person and their family the best news they've probably heard all week, maybe all their lives even."

She nodded, silently agreeing with him, the piece of chicken in her mouth preventing her from providing a more coherent response.

After dinner, she remarked that she was very tired from all her work today and he quickly took this as a signal to offer to do the dishes, a favour she was grateful for. She expressed said gratitude in the form of multiple thank yous and had disappeared into the washroom, probably preparing herself to sleep by doing the common evening rituals.

When they finished what they were doing, both collapsed onto their respective mattresses, finding that lately, life had become more exhausting but neither complained for life had also become more inspiring.

Before falling asleep, Kakashi's thoughts that had manifested themselves in his head in the market place, the image of Rin's smiling face at the dinner table, and her light, rhythmic inhales and exhales of breath that were slowly lulling him to sleep, combined to form a solid, epiphanous conclusion in his head: It was nice having someone to come home to.

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_**Author's Note: **Hope you enjoyed it! To prevent myself from sounding too repetitive, I will simply thank each reviewer for their review and suggest to all that more constructive criticism be added in. I really enjoy finding out what you liked, what you didn't, and if there were any spelling/grammar/punctuation errors. Thank you to:**catgirl9696, Hikari** **Minamoto, JoiZ.D, Sakra-chan, YebbadebbaOnee-chan, chibibrain94** and **snappa **for the reviews on chapter 5!_

_And for bonus marks: Without googling anything, can any of my lovely readers/reviewers tell me what **Neophyte's serendipity** is in common words? Good luck! ;)_


	7. Inside Ride

_**Author's Note:** Hello everyone! I hope that those of you who have March/Spring Break have gotten a good start to it! This chapter is inspired by an actual event called the Inside Ride. The details of the event are in the fic, and the only thing different is that in reality you need six members on a team. For all those who can participate in the Inside Ride or any yearly event similar to it, I encourage you to do so. Not only is it really fun, but it's also a really rewarding experience and it gives you a chance to help out the global community. Most of us here are probably lucky enough to have enough food, a fairly normal/healthy lifestyle, shelter, parents/family who loves us, a good education, and other things that we take for granted. By partaking in events such as the Inside Ride, we can display our appreciation for what we have and help others to acheive their dreams and gain opportunities in life. For more info on the Inside Ride please google it for it won't let me post the website. The power you have to make a positive difference in someone's life is greater than you can imagine. Don't just apply it to helping the poor, or homeless, or sick: help all those you can, whenever you can. We all need somebody to lean on and we all need love and support. If you make at least one person breathe easier knowing that you're around, why wouldn't you?_

Disclaimer: I do _not_ own Naruto or Inside Ride.

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One thing that seemed to be specific to Konoha every year was an event called the 'Inside Ride'. To participate, you needed to form a team of at least 3 people (up to 6), get others to pledge you money, and on the day of the event, you would ride on stationary bikes to support helping children with cancer.

Rin, having spent quite a bit of time in the children's ward at the hospital, decided that this year, she too would participate in this event. Most of her day was spent thinking about whom she could get to pledge her, and most importantly, whom she could get on her team. By the end of the day, she had figured the latter out; now, if only the two people she was going to talk to about joining would do it. First thing after her shift finished, she went straight to the place of residence of her first ideal teammate and knocked on his door.

"Rin!" he answered, a smile on his face. "What brings you here?"

"Well, you know about the Inside Ride?" she questioned.

"Of course; it used to be an obligatory activity back when I was in the academy. It was instead of all this Olympic event stuff."

"Ok. I was wondering if you'd be interested in doing it this year again and being on my team. I'm telling you, I've spent an abundance of time with the kids in the cancer ward and they are just really deserving of all the money in the world. It would be so nice to see them smiling!"

"Yeah, sure," the male grinned, "I'd be happy to do the event with you! Who else is on your team?"

"I wanted to recruit Kakashi. With him on the team, there's no way that we can lose the competition."

"Kakashi, eh? That's good. Well, I need to get back to my work Rin but I shall see you on the day of the event, alright?"

"Yeah! Thank you so much; you have no idea how much this will mean to the kids!"

Pleased that she had convinced her first recruit, Rin proceeded back to her and Kakashi's apartment to recruit her roommate for the team. As far as she was concerned, Kakashi definitely had one of the most physically fit bodies of any Konoha citizen and if that helped her win the competition and please the kids, she was more than happy to exploit that fact.

"Kakashi?" she called through the apartment. "Are you home?"

A grumble was heard in response to her question and she walked into the bedroom to find him asleep on his mattress. "Did you just get home? I could have sworn you were here last night too," she questioned.

He frowned sitting up. "No, I was on a mission last night; I just got back. Why? Did you feel someone's presence next to you?"

"Relax Kakashi, I was only kidding."

He sighed tiredly and exasperatedly, leaning back under the covers. "Geez Rin, don't scare me like that."

"Sorry," she apologized, "I've got some exciting news for you though!"

When he didn't show any signs of life, she continued on with her explanation. "How would you like to be on my team for the Inside Ride next week?"

"The Inside what?"

"Inside Ride! Basically, you get people to pledge you money and you pedal on stationary bikes."

"That sounds stupid. Why did you think I would do it?"

Rin frowned, obviously upset that he didn't agree off the bat. "It wouldn't kill you to participate in something social once in a while! Besides, it's for a good cause. You'd be riding to support kids who have cancer get better."

"Sorry, still not interested."

"Oh come on! It's a competition too! There'll be awards and nearly everyone in our age group is going to be competing! Do you want them to think you're a chicken?"

He sat up and threw her a look. "Does it seem like I care about what they think?"

"No, but doesn't it matter what I think?"

"Not right now. I'm tired, leave me alone."

"Hmph. I don't like you very much right now."

"That's ok," he told her, "as long as you silently don't like me, that's ok."

Rin looked like she was ready to blow her top; how could Kakashi say no to helping sick children? It made even people like Orochimaru look benevolent. Ok, so maybe she was exaggerating but still! How could he just refuse to help young kids get better? "Argh! Kakashi, you're such a-a-argh! This isn't some D-rank that has no merits; it's an even specifically planned and organized to help sick children feel like they have a chance at leading normal lives!"

"Fine, I'll do it," came the muffled voice from under the covers. "Now let me sleep."

"Thank you!" she chimed, smiling at him. "Guess who else I recruited?"

"I'm not guessing. Just tell me."

"Fine," she huffed, whispering the name in his ear.

Kakashi looked at her, confused. "Doesn't that give us some sort of an unfair advantage?"

"Technically no, because shinobi and civilian events are separate and you're not allowed to use any Ninjutsu to speed yourself up."

"Hm, ok. Time to sleep now."

"Goodnight!" she chimed, pleased that she'd managed to convince him.

The next morning, when Kakashi had decided to finally wake up, he had surveyed the house and decided that he should have just stayed asleep. Rin was telling him (or at least trying to) all about the Inside Ride but for Kakashi, it fell on deaf ears. After hearing Kakashi mutter the umpteenth "Huh?" that signified he was not paying any attention to what she'd said, Rin gave up, knowing that she'd be able to get her point(s) across better during breakfast.

Sure enough, Kakashi seemed to be slightly more approachable after he was fed and Rin quickly made up her mind that now was going to be the time he'd listen to her most attentively.

"Kakashi?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I tell you about Inside Ride now?"

He groaned. "Don't you have work or something?"

Slightly offended that he wanted to get rid of her so quickly, she snapped, "Just listen for 10 minutes!"

He obviously knew by her tone that he had said something to anger her and he knew that he should apologize, but he couldn't think of a better apology than sitting silently by her and listening to what she had to say.

"Ok," she explained, pulling out some papers, "this is the waiver form. You're going to need to read it and sign it. This is the pledge form."

"Pledge form?"

"Yeah, you're going to have to collect at least 2,076 yen for them to let you participate."

"I'm not begging anyone for money."

Rin sighed heavily, massaging her temples. "Kakashi, do you have to be so antagonistic? You wouldn't be begging for it; you'd be politely asking! You know what? Forget it. If this is too much work for you, just forget it."

She threw the papers on the ground and walked outside, slamming the door behind her.

Kakashi sighed as well after she left. _Smooth move, jerk._ His conscience scolded him. _She really wasn't asking for much; she just wanted to see those kids live normal lives. Is that such a terrible thing? Is that too much work for you? To bring happiness to someone takes too much of your effort?_

He sighed again, knowing that the little voice yelling at him in anger right now was absolutely correct but knew that if he just went after her now, they'd probably cause a public scene and if he apologized, it would be an even bigger scene. Needless to say, Kakashi was stumped as to what to do in order to make it up to her. He didn't just want to make things right because the apartment would be filled with tension the whole day (or longer) if he didn't, but also because he truly felt sorry and if he would be honest with himself, he was a bit annoying to her. It was only when he saw the papers, scattered haphazardly on the floor, that an idea began to form itself in his mind, and he too left the apartment.

Kakashi spent the day making sure that his plan was properly executed and when he arrived home in the late afternoon hours, to a still empty house, he spent a few minutes putting what he needed to in an envelope and depositing it on her pillow. Tired, he flopped down onto his mattress, hoping that his way of apology would be sufficiently pleasing for her to forgive him.

She arrived home around seven PM, finally having blown off her steam. After leaving the house, Rin had travelled to the training grounds and had released her stress by sparring with Kurenai, who just happened to also be at the grounds. The latter seemed to notice the angry feeling radiating from the former but decided that she would not pry into the other girl's matters. Rin had been thankful for that, for she did not wish to share anything with her friend about the incident that had passed in the morning. Having been allowed to let out her steam, Rin came back to her shared apartment with a rather more cheerful disposition, which only soured a little when she saw that Kakashi had simply given up any attempt at an apology and retreated under his covers.

Rin prepared a sandwich for herself, debating whether she should wake her roommate up to yell at him or just let him be and ignore him the whole of tomorrow. Her final decision turned out to be neither of the two, as she noticed the neatly placed envelope on her pillow. Curious, she picked it up and opened the sealed package. Inside was the waiver form signed with Kakashi's signature, the pledge form filled out, and cash totalling in over 10,381 yen (equivalent to over $100 CAD/$101 US). She smiled warmly at the contents of the envelope before turning her gaze to Kakashi.

"Are you asleep?" she whispered.

"Not really," he replied.

"Did you leave the envelope as a form of apology and then hide yourself under the covers in case I was still angry when I got back?"

"…"

Rin laughed lightly at his silence, knowing that it meant she had guessed appropriately. She was glad that the tension in the small apartment was relieved and glad that Kakashi had decided to let go of a little of his pride. "Well, thanks," she told him appreciatively.

The rest of the week passed without much incident, and finally it was the following Monday, the day of the competition. The park was where the Inside Ride would take place around noon, and many of the shinobi in Rin and Kakashi's year showed up, raring to go. Rin had chosen the team theme to be Superheroes and the team name was RKM. Rin had decided to dress up as Catwoman, adorning her usual black dress with a pair of black pants and a headband that she had converted into one with cat ears. Kakashi had not chosen to be any specific one, despite the number of prods and pleas from Rin, but he had just added a red cape to his usual attire. The third member of their team had shown up entirely covered in a black cloak, looking more like a villain than a superhero.

"What superhero are you supposed to be?" asked Rin in her third member's ear. "You look more like an evil villain."

"Eh, I'm my own breed of superhero. Plus, I want it to be a surprise for the kids," he whispered back, looking over at the bench where a few children who had been well enough came to watch the event.

"Alright," the organizer of the event, a slim, middle-aged, blonde woman called out, "all participants please get your first member on the bike. The race will be starting momentarily. The tracker closest to you will record your total kilometres at the end. Everyone have fun, and thank you for coming out to support us today! Remember, there are prizes for Most Money Raised, Best Team Spirit, Team with the most Kilometres, and Female with the most Kilometres and Male with the most Kilometres. "

There were 7 teams in total at the event: RKM (Rin's team), Winners (Genma, Kurenai and Asuma), Team Gai (Gai, Shizune and Anko), Team Light (Izumo, Kotetsu and Iruka), Painkillers (Hayate, Yugao, and Ibiki), Team Kakashi (Sasaki, Haruhi and Nikko) and The Unknowns (Ebisu, Yamato and Shisui).

The first rider for Rin's team was decided to be Kakashi for they needed a head start on the competition and who better to provide it than him? Each rider on the 3-man team was to ride for 20 minutes and try to achieve as many kilometres as they could. There would also be music playing to keep the adrenaline going and water bottles to keep the riders hydrated.

"Riders ready? On your marks…get set…go!" the organizer woman announced and at once there was the loud sound of upbeat high-bass music pumping through the air, drowning out the noise of the pedals furiously turning under the feet of the competitors. As Kakashi pedaled, Rin cheered him on fiercely – she seemed to be getting really into the event – and even sprayed the occasional water on his face to keep him cool. Her screams of "Go Kakashi!" were louder than any of the other collective team shouts and many looked surprised in her direction, unaware that the always-gracious girl had such a competitive streak in her.

"Come on Kakashi!" she would yell whenever he slowed down, "Do you want to be beaten?"

He would always respond, "No."

"Are you going to be beaten?!" she would yell more aggressively.

"No!" he would respond just as aggressively and his legs would begin to pick up pace.

By the end of his shift, Kakashi was exhausted, having biked 18.47 kilometres in the 20 minutes. Rin had gotten him a water bottle and told him to sit down on the bench. When he finally sat, the world swimming around him, Rin tried to make him feel better by stacking on the praises and commending him on his excellent amount of effort. Gai had come over to him as well and added a few praises of his own, saying that he would have expected nothing less from his eternal rival.

Then Rin got up, seeing as the next shift was about to start, and made her way onto the bicycle. "Rin," Kakashi said, still on the bench trying to catch his breath, "Good luck. Remember, you're doing it for these kids, so make them proud."

Upon hearing his words, her face took on a determined look and some would swear that they saw fire in her eyes. The minute she heard the word 'Go!' her legs pedaled steadily but furiously and Kakashi and her other team member encouraging her through various provocations and shouts of encouragement. By the end of the 20 minutes her legs were exhausted and her cheeks had turned out red but she and her teammates were very impressed with her 16 kilometres and she appeared to have retained most of her energy.

She walked unsteadily over to her third teammate, patting him on the back as a sign of 'good luck' and 'make us proud'. As their teammate boarded the bike, all the other competitors looked on in confusion. Who was this black-cloaked man/boy? Where had he come from? Was he even a he? When the announcer announced the start of the third shift, the man's legs pedaled furiously, becoming a blur. All who were there watched in amazement at how fast the man was going. Just a few moments later, awed gasps were added as the man took off his cloak and revealed himself to be-

"Hokage-sama!" One of the children cheered as they realized who the third member was.

After everyone recovered from their star-struck states, the children cheered for him and Rin added with her shouts of, "Come on Minato-sensei!" Minato pedaled as if his life depended on it, grinning widely at all those around him.

If the shock of having the Yondaime Hokage show up at a local event and ride a stationary bike to help children with cancer hadn't floored everyone, the number of kilometres he pedaled sure did. Minato ended his 20 minutes with a total number of 40 kilometres. When presented with the award for Male with the most kilometres, he had politely declined and insisted that it be given to the second place winner, which had been Uchiha Shisui. Rin had won for the Females but had shared her victory with the second place winner, Miyake Haruhi, the female off of Kakashi's genin team. The award for Fundraising had been presented to Winners (Genma, Kurenai and Asuma) and RKM (Rin, Kakashi, Minato) had received the award for team spirit.

Those who had received awards had to go afterwards over to the photographer who was patiently waiting to take their picture. Minato and Shisui grinned at the camera and Rin and Haruhi had grinned and put one finger in front showing that they were number one. The Winners had gone into various gallant and superior poses before bursting out laughing at each other while Rin stood between Minato and Kakashi, her arms around the taller males' shoulders.

There was an after party held by Gai in the same spot, with cake and BBQ and other various foods/beverages to satisfy the guests. Everyone stayed for a few hours until the photographer came back with the developed prints of the photos, handing one to each member of the teams.

Rin squealed in delight when she received hers, and remarked, "Oh guys! This is such a good picture! Haha, we all look so cool!"

"I always look cool," piped in Kakashi, smirking.

"Sensei, you're a loser," Haruhi told him, rolling her eyes at Kakashi.

"Hey! Just for that, you get an extra two hours of training tomorrow!"

Nikko showed up groaning. "Why did you have to say that Haruhi? Honestly…I don't know if I'll be able to walk tomorrow, let alone train!"

"Fine. Sensei, I take whatever I said back. You're super cool and awesome," Haruhi spoke.

Kakashi chuckled. "Ok, ok, you can put off training tomorrow. Just make sure to get lots of rest," he told Nikko.

The young boy sighed in relief, his leg muscles twitching in what could either be regarded as happiness or pain.

Later on, when everyone had gotten Minato's signature and he had personally offered his thanks to everyone and support to the children's parents, people began to exit the park and head off to their respective homes. Rin as always, was to walk home with Kakashi, and when the pair invited Minato, the Hokage said something about Kushina being hostile if he wasn't home soon and they nodded in understanding, watching him rush off.

They then proceeded to head towards their apartment, silent for the most part due to exhaustion. The minute they got inside, Kakashi collapsed on the mattress, not even bothering to shower or change his clothes. Rin followed suit, falling on the mattress beside his, spread-eagled. Though their arms were touching, both inhabitants of the apartment were much too tired to care. In a final effort to convey his appreciation and thanks, Kakashi muttered a small, "Thanks Rin."

She would have gladly left it at that but she needed to inquire further what he was thanking her for or else the question would plague her mind and dreams, causing her to become restless. "For what?" she wheezed, still not having caught her breath properly.

"I don't know, for choosing me to be on your team I guess. It was a lot more entertaining that I imagined and those kids are really deserving."

She turned her head towards him and softly smiled. "No need to thank me. In fact," she moved her arm more onto his, "thank you. Doing this means more to me than you can imagine."

In a moment of dazed tiredness and lack of regular logic, as well as a lowered sense of guardedness, Kakashi replied, "If it is as easy as partaking in events…if it's that easy to make you happy, trust me, you'll never be upset again in your life."

Rin, though also exhausted, still had part of her mind that was functioning at full capacity despite her tiredness and that part had absorbed all of Kakashi's words like a sponge, and had really taken them to heart. Feeling his rhythmic heartbeat as her fingers lightly pressed on his wrist, Rin drifted off to slumber contentedly.

_

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**Author's Note:** Alright, that's it folks! Hope that you all enjoyed it and if it managed to make you think or inspired you to do something to help the global community, than all the better! Thank you to all of Chapter 6's reviewers: **Sachie-chan11, FallenAngelsFeelNoLove, JoiZ.D, Sakra-chan, catgirl9696, chibibrain94, catwomanswrath, and snappa!**_


	8. Don't Leave Without Waking Me Up

_**Author's Note: **Hello all! As promised, I have made another update. March break permits me to do so and I hope that you all will enjoy this lovingly crafted chapter._ _It may seem a bit more emotional and sad but in the end, you will see it is quite a positive chapter._

Disclaimer: I do _not_ own Naruto.

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There were many things in this world that Rin viewed as unfair but none seemed to irk her as much as this one particular unfairness did; it was the unfairness of living together with someone but never getting a chance to see them.

Now that Earth's advance on the frontlines had become more defined and it seemed that without more shinobi support, Konoha would surely fall, both Kakashi and Rin seemed to find their lives increasingly busy and most inconveniently so. They were no longer able to meet after their shifts, and sometimes they were lucky if they were able to see each other for more than five minutes a day.

Kakashi's missions with the increasingly successful genin (now Chuunin) team sometimes lasted days and the team would always have to meet early at Konoha's gates to take off in the shield of night.

Rin's job at the hospital was possibly even more stressful. Not only were injured shinobi and ANBU going in and out like there was no tomorrow, but also the vast majority of the nurses had seen this a fit time to become pregnant, creating a lack of available staff. Since only those with seniority at the hospital were allowed to be selective about their shifts, Rin was forced to supervise the graveyard shift, often coming home around three or four in the morning. Needless to say, their schedules conflicted what with him working days and her working nights.

It still allowed for them to prepare lunches and dinners (Rin would prepare dinner before she left and Kakashi would prepare lunch in the morning) but it greatly messed with their sleeping schedules and internal clocks. For Kakashi it was a little better because, having been a shinobi nearly all his life, he'd gotten used to the early wake up times and long hours.

For Rin however, it had taken quite a few weeks to adjust to the new schedule. Her biological clock had never set itself to sleep during the day and work during the night and for the first five to ten times, she'd come home sick to her stomach. Having to sleep during the day, she found, was a very difficult thing to do. She could always hear the sounds of citizens calling each other in greeting or feel the sun peek through the curtains and illuminate the room. There were also many things she missed about the dayshift such as the brighter hospital room, the only slightly injured patients, and the bustle of visitors. She also missed the feel of the warm sun on her face as she walked to the hospital and the sense of security she felt in the light.

Although her schedule was tough, she knew it was not only hard for her but also hard for Kakashi who felt like he was breaking his promise to Obito. The streets of Konoha at night, while not being chaotic or full of crime, were substantially more dangerous and often times when Kakashi was asleep after she left, he would have nightmares about her getting attacked or killed or something equally as horrendous. He had tried the first few times to wait until she had to go to walk her there and make sure she was safe, but both his body and her had protested and finally, he'd given in though not without a long argument.

In the beginning the schedules were hectic but both had been able to deal with them. Now, however, Rin was starting to notice the mental toll the stress was taking on both of them and had decided to do something about it. She set her alarm clock, a possession that Kakashi hated having in the house, to wake her up at the same time in the morning that Kakashi woke up. It had loyally rung at five am, not only waking her up but also waking him up. He'd groaned in annoyance at the noise before trudging out of bed and getting ready. While he was in the washroom immersed in his daily morning rituals, Rin was in bed, forcing herself to stay awake; she needed to talk to him about this and it had to be today.

As soon as he was out of the washroom and dressed, Rin spoke. "Kakashi?"

He looked over at her mattress, surprised. She wasn't supposed to be waking up this early. "Yeah?" he responded, his voice betraying some of the worry and curiosity that he felt.

"Can you do me a favour?"

"Sure…" he agreed, uncertain of where the conversation was going and what she was doing up in the first place.

"Can you wake me up every morning before you leave?"

He shrugged on the sweater she'd given him for his birthday for it was chilly outside, looked at her intensely and refused her request. When she complained, he reminded her that she already worked late hours and was tired and needed to sleep in the morning. He reminded her of how the shift in scheduling had incurred a detriment in her health and proceeded to tell her that he was not going to cause her to be sick. She needed her rest and that was that. Of course Rin had gotten up out of her bed, thoroughly displeased that he had disagreed and had whined like the tired teenager she was, following him all the way to the front door.

Kakashi told her firmly again no, and then added, "Why?" If she wasn't going to let this drop, neither was he. He just hoped that her explanation was short for he was already running late.

Rin looked down at the hardwood floors. "Well…I mean, we never get to see each other anymore. I'm either about to leave or asleep or you've already left or you're asleep. Aren't you getting sick of that?"

He nodded in affirmation at which time she paused. They were engulfed in an uncomfortable silence for a few moments until Rin began to speak again. "And I just don't want that to be the end…I mean, I don't want this lack of communication. There's always a chance that something will happen to one of us…something bad and I know that I'd-" she inhaled shakily, tears forming themselves at the corner of her eyes, "-we both know how fragile a life is and I don't know if you feel the same way as me on this but I know that I'd feel unfathomably guilty if something were to happen to you, God forbid, and the last thing I ever said to you was 'dinner's in the fridge'. It may be different for you, but I strongly believe that since we don't get to talk that often, we should say the things we mean to say while we have the chance to say them!"

Ok, now this conversation was making him uncomfortable. He did agree with everything she'd said but the way she became so emotional about it, near tears, had made him feel not only awkward but guilty as well. On the one hand he knew that she was entirely correct with her thoughts but he didn't want to wake her up for fear of it having some repercussions on her health. He knew she didn't get enough sleep as it was and to wake her up every morning only a couple of hours after her shift ended? It seemed cruel to him.

"I…" he trailed off, unsure of what to say to the girl in front of him.

"It wouldn't be like you were waking me up for good. I'd go right back to sleep after but at least I'd get to say something to you in the morning. Wish you a good day…remind you to stay safe…anything! Just something!"

Kakashi, still standing awkwardly in the doorway, sighed. He was still opposed to the idea but she had a point and she had promised to go right back to sleep after…The sentimental side of him –a side he discovered he had only a year ago – won in the end and Kakashi nodded. "Alright fine but you have to promise you'll go back to sleep after," he told her firmly.

She wiped a couple of tears from her eyes and nodded her head eagerly. "I promise, I promise!"

"Prove it. Go back to sleep now."

Rin obeyed, padding back over to her mattress. Just as Kakashi was about to take off, she noticed he'd left something and piped up, "You're forgetting something!"

Her call alerted him and he was back in the doorway in an instant. What could he have forgotten? Last he checked he was all prepared. It dawned on him only when he saw her bring forth a package. Of course…his lunch!

"Thanks," he commented as she placed the small package in his hands.

Before he had the chance to run off again, Rin smiled up at Kakashi, looking directly into his eyes and stressed to him, "Don't leave without waking me up."

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_**Author's Note:** I hope that everyone enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I did writing it! Thank you to all my faithful reviewers of chapter 7; I'm very glad that the Inside Ride chapter was so very well recieved. :) Thanks to:_ **_chibirain94, ninbunny alchemist, YebbadebbaOnee-chan, Sachie-chan11, snappa, catgirl9696, Sakra-chan, JoiZ.D, and Kakashi88._**


	9. Talks

_**Author's Note:** Well, I had the idea for this chapter in mind for a while now and I'm not sure if I executed it entirely well, but hopefully, I have managed to do my idea justice. As always, I urge you to leave me constructive criticism reviews and if you have any other questions or comments or thoughts or suggestions, please PM them to me. :)_

Disclaimer: I do _not _own Naruto.

_

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Knock. Knock. Knock._

Kakashi groggily sat up, half-asleep. What was that noise? He had successfully been ignoring it for the past few minutes but it was becoming increasingly difficult to get it out of his mind. Turning on his side, he saw Rin still asleep and shook her shoulder gently, trying to get her to wake up.

"Huh? What's going on?" She asked, just as tired as he was.

"Do you hear that?" He answered with another question.

She paused and listened. _Knock. Knock. Knock._ "Yeah," she nodded.

"What is it?"

"I think someone's knocking on the door," she told him.

He groaned. That's what he'd been afraid of. "Go see who it is."

She nodded sleepily, slowly standing up from her place on her mattress. "What time is it?"

Kakashi turned his head over to her annoying alarm clock and sighed. "It's 11 in the morning."

Rin rolled her eyes irritably, certain that if it were an ANBU or someone off Kakashi's Chuunin team or a nurse at the hospital, they'd be on the receiving end of a punch in the face and a slammed door. Crankily opening the door, she was met with the face of two adults: her sensei and his girlfriend.

Minato watched as the door opened and his student emerged, looking like a hurricane had hit her. Her pyjamas were all ruffled as if she'd just woken up and her hair stuck out every which way. Tired bags had begun to form under her half-closed eyes and her face had lines, probably from sleeping on her arms.

"Hello sensei," the young girl greeted him, her tone harder than usual.

"Rin," he commented, surprised, "what are you doing here?"

"What do you mean what am I doing here?" she snarled, still irritated that someone had woken her up from her precious sleep. "I _live_ here."

His eyes widened. This hadn't been a living arrangement he'd been notified about. "You live with Kakashi?" he asked incredulously.

"Sensei," a low growl formed in the back of her throat as she spoke, "I live _here_." She pointed her finger to the floor, emphasizing her point.

Kushina, noticing the unusually angry demeanour in Rin, decided to pipe in and save her oh-so-loveable boyfriend from a punch that she could see was coming up. "I'm sorry Rin-chan, did we wake you?"

Rin smiled pleasantly at Kushina, having taken a liking to the woman so filled with tact. Rin nodded to confirm Kushina's suspicions.

Kushina herself seemed to look very sorry for having woken her up and immediately apologized on both of her and Minato's behalves and asking if they were allowed in or should come back later. Hearing the apology, Rin perked up a little, a polite and kind aura now radiating around her. "Yeah come in, just," Rin yawned sleepily, "Sorry. Just make yourselves comfortable until we get dressed and whatnot."

The pair nodded and walked inside, admiring the small apartment. Minato immediately headed over to his other student, who was still trying to sleep in bed. "Kakashi, wake up!" Minato called to him, playfully pinching at his face and shoulders to annoy him.

"Go away sensei," Kakashi muttered from under the covers.

Rin clicked her tongue at him disapprovingly. "Now now, Kakashi. He's right; you need to get up. It's not polite to be asleep when you have guests."

"Screw you."

"Kakashi," Rin growled again, her eyes alight with warning. The sound had been something both men in the apartment were so unused to hearing that they regarded her with a mixture of fear and shock in their eyes. "I said get up." By this time she had stomped over to his mattress where he was half-sitting half-laying down, threw the covers off of him and roughly pulled him up by the arm, shoving him into the bathroom.

When they both were done with the washroom, Minato and Kushina regarded the other pair in the house with interest as they manoeuvred around each other flawlessly, tossing shirts back and forth to each other, making the beds and knowing exactly what were the other's duties.

Once they were both dressed and ready, the still tired Rin made coffee for each member in the apartment and the four of them sat down at the kitchen table, Rin propping her head up by laying her chin in her hand.

"You ok?" Minato looked at her, concerned.

"Uhuh," Rin mumbled into her caffeine beverage, the dark circles under her eyes perhaps even more prominent.

"She's been working graveyard shift at the hospital," Kakashi supplied a more coherent answer, also looking over at her slightly worriedly.

"I'm fine," she insisted, wanting the topic to change to something else. When no one made a move to say anything else though, Rin sighed and started the conversation herself. "So, why did you two come to see us?"

"We were just in the neighbourhood," Kushina told her, "and Minato wanted to see how Kakashi was holding up. We had no idea that we'd run into you here as well, Rin-chan."

"Well," Rin looked down at her wrist at an imaginary watch, "I've been here for…a while. So, how are things with you two? Everything ok?"

"Being Hokage could be better," Minato muttered under his breath. "I swear, all they make you do is paperwork. I'm a shinobi! I should be out there fighting!"

"I don't know," admitted Kushina, turning to look him in the eye, "I'm glad they don't send you out as much anymore."

Rin looked at the pair before her, gazing so intently at each other, and couldn't help but smile. "Aw, you two are absolutely adorable."

"We should be saying the same about you two," Minato grinned at her.

"Me?" Rin looked at her sensei confused, her logic not up to speed, as she was still tired. "What about me? Me with who?"

As her brain worked to decipher the hidden meaning in his words, Kakashi groaned in understanding beside her. "You can't be serious Minato-sensei. _Let it go_," he told the older man.

Rin, catching on, made a face and then burst out laughing, quickly making her the centre of attention. She laughed long and hard, pausing only for a few quick gasps of air. Finally, after a few minutes, the cachinnation ceased.

"What was so funny?" Kakashi asked, looking at her weirdly, not sure if he should be offended or not.

Rin let out another stream of giggles. "Oh, just the notion of it! Please don't be offended Kakashi, you really are a great guy, but…" She trailed off, bursting into laughter once more.

As it dawned on him what was happening, Kakashi went from offended to amused, chuckling lightly under his breath.

"What's so funny?" Konoha's Yellow Flash inquired, one eyebrow raised.

"Nothing," Kakashi rolled his eyes. "She just gets like this after she drinks coffee."

Minato turned his eyes from Kakashi's to Rin's, still eyeing her strangely. She simply sat there, shaking with silent laughter, and it seemed she would never stop. "Then why do you buy coffee?"

Kakashi merely shrugged in response, and the talking soon ended as Rin contained her giggles. After a few moments in silence, Minato said, "Well, I need to talk to Kakashi." No one moved from his or her spot. "Alone," he added, at which time Rin and Kushina stood up and relocated to the bedroom.

-- With Rin and Kushina --

Rin sat cross-legged on her mattress while Kushina took a seat on the mattress next to hers. "So, what did sensei want to talk to Kakashi about?"

"I have no clue, sorry. All he did was insist that we go over to Kakashi's apartment today and see how he's doing. I had no reason to suspect that he had any ulterior motives."

"Hmmm…well, how are things with you and Minato? You said some stuff when I asked you before but Kakashi was around then…so I'm not sure if you were telling the truth."

"They're good," Kushina repeated, although it didn't sound like she wanted to end there.

Rin caught on to the tone of her voice and prodded, "But…?"

"Well, I worry about him sometimes. He's just so young, and wanting to be the good guy all the time and wanting to do only what's right, but sometimes what's right and what is easy are two different things. Now that he's accepted the title of Hokage, he's accepted the responsibility that comes with it and I'm not sure if he's ready. Yes, he's a great shinobi and an even greater man but to have the weight of a country rest on your shoulders…"

Rin smiled in reassurance at Kushina. "You know him, he's strong and sensei won't give up, especially now that he has to protect someone important to him in the village. Believe it or not Kushina, I think he's doing such a great job thus far because of you. He now has motivation, you know? And you're always so persistent, you never give up and you're optimistic and I think he's soaking up the energy you give off and he's realizing that it's what's keeping him going."

On a rare moment of insecurity and seriousness, Kushina divulged her true concerns. "I know he's strong and I know that he'll keep on going but sometimes, that's what worries me the most. Sometimes I wish he'd just stop, just give up, and do it for his sake, you know? With all that's going on around us, and the war, it feels like by accepting to be Hokage, he's accepted to sacrifice his soul for the village. And sometimes it's like his death is something inevitable, but I don't want him to die. No matter what he thinks or no matter how much he prepares or works, you just can't be prepared for death! It just sweeps you up and then poof! You're gone!"

The redhead sighed, running her fingers delicately through her bangs, hoping that Minato and Kakashi couldn't hear them in the next room. "At least you don't have to worry about that with Kakashi. He's not going to die off on some B-rank with a few Chuunin."

"Kakashi and I aren't like that, just so you know," Rin corrected Kushina. "We're only friends and yes, he probably has a lower chance of dying on the missions he goes on now. It doesn't mean I don't worry about him though. As for Minato-sensei…he's always been tough, able to handle anything; I think he's Kakashi's idol and now that Minato has you…well, let's just say that our Yondaime Hokage is unstoppable."

"Yeah," Kushina seemed to perk up a little at Rin's comforting statements. "I guess we should be happy that both of them-" she motioned with her finger to the next room "-aren't in ANBU or anything, right?" Rin nodded and smiled, pleased that she could ease some of the doubt that she knew Kushina was feeling.

-- With Kakashi and Minato --

"Kakashi, I actually came here to propose something to you."

"What?" Kakashi wondered curiously.

"Earth's attacks have been getting fiercer and too many shinobi are dying. We need high-level Jounin to perform high-risk missions and we're running short on staff. I don't want to just spring this on you but I know it's something you've told me you wanted to do and now you have the chance. What would you say to being initiated into ANBU?"

Kakashi gagged on his coffee. ANBU? It was true that ANBU was the position he'd always wanted, it was something prestigious but after having grown attached to the Chuunin he was taking care of, he wasn't sure he wanted to leave his teaching position. Plus, what about Rin? She was already home alone enough as it was; he didn't want to further upset her by taking a position as an ANBU operative. Still…she was probably going to move out soon and he could use the ANBU as an opportunity to get stronger, to be able to protect her better and to do justice to Obito's gift.

Minato, sensing his uncertainty, quickly tacked on, "You're not being obligated or anything to do this. If you want to stay with the teaching job, that's fine because you're still extremely young, much younger than the average ANBU squad member. It's just an option that you can consider."

"I-I…thank you sensei for the offer, but can I think about it?"

Minato nodded solemnly at the boy, and assured him once more that there was no rush and no pressure to become an ANBU. He had simply remembered that this was an interest Kakashi had expressed and he'd offered the possibility of the interest being fulfilled.

Then, all talk of ANBU forgotten, Minato moved on to another subject that was of interest to him. "Kakashi, how long have you and Rin been living together?"

The younger boy paused for a few moments to think. How long had it been? One month? Two? More? Honestly, he had lost count. He shrugged in answer to Minato's question, not only because he didn't know the answer, but also because he was wary of why his sensei would be asking him. What did it matter? What was Minato trying to actually tell him?

The older man pulled out a small, square package from his pocket and at first hid it from view. "Well, I had hoped that this chat would occur much later in your life and I'd hoped even more that it would be given by someone else but I see that I have no such luck." Minato then proceeded to take the plastic square package from behind his back and shoved it in Kakashi's face. "Do you know what this is?" he questioned his student. "Do you know what it's used for?"

It took Kakashi a couple of moments to recognize just what exactly his sensei was showing to him but the second he realized it, his face heated with a blush that had spawned from a mixture of embarrassment, disgust, and anger. "Sensei, get out of my house, _now_!" he yelled, his voice cracking from the embarrassment of the situation.

In the next room, Kushina and Rin had heard the unnaturally high-pitched-sounded-like-a-frog-choking noise and they burst into the next room. "What the _hell_ was _that_?!" Kushina demanded.

"Yeah!" Rin supported her. "You nearly gave us a heart-attack!"

Kakashi just looked over at the two unremorsefully before turning his eyes with a fierce glare to his sensei. "Please do not ever bring something like that up again," he warned.

Sensing the situation was about to get ugly, Kushina tugged her boyfriend into the room next to the kitchen and attempted to figure out just what he had done to make Hatake Kakashi go off the wall. Rin, also wanting to avoid any conflict, spent the time calming down her team-mate, making sure he didn't do anything drastic that would result in direct bodily harm to someone or direct harm to their apartment.

Kakashi's fists were clenched and his eyebrows knitted in a frown, pure anger displayed on his generally impassive features but Rin could notice the blush that had formed on his face and decided that it was against her better judgement to mention it to him. "Calm down Kakashi," she soothed, "I'm sure that whatever Minato-sensei said he only meant as a joke or something."

"It wasn't funny," Kakashi responded through gritted teeth.

"Maybe it wasn't, but please calm down. The state you're in is scaring me," she said coolly, knowing that he'd definitely calm at that.

As if answering her thoughts, he unclenched his fists and sighed heavily. "Sorry," he apologized gruffly.

Kushina popped her head out of the small area she and Minato were in, having found out just what her boyfriend had attempted to do. Of course it had been with good intentions, but she insisted that he should have known how it would upset the Hatake to have the talk given in the house, especially with a couple of females next door within hearing range. Determined to stay in their good books, especially Rin's, she prepared herself to make another apology.

"Kakashi, Rin-chan, I just wanted to apologize for Minato's behaviour. Really, sometimes he does things that he thinks are for the good of others without thinking them through. He means well Kakashi, but I understand that this was neither the place nor the time to start that conversation with you. Please accept a dinner at our house tomorrow as our sincerest apology."

"Oh Kushina! No need to be so formal! Kakashi probably overreacted a little as well!" Rin replied, trying to lessen the shame she felt. "And we won't even think of imposing on you in such a way!"

"Rin it's fine," Minato grinned at her, "we've made up our minds for you two to come tomorrow so you'd better not forget!"

Polite and gracious as always, as well as empathic, Rin knew that Minato would not retract the dinner invitation so she smiled kindly and gave a little bow, accepting their invitation and led them to the door, waving at them as they walked away. As soon as both were out of sight, she went back in her apartment, took one look at the still tense and upset Kakashi and sighed; tomorrow would be an interesting day, if nothing else.

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**_Author's Note:_** _Well, that concludes chapter nine, hope you all enjoyed it! Thank you to chapter eight's reviewers:_ _**chribirain94, catgirl9696, JoiZ.D, Sakra-chan, snappa, and ninbunny alchemist. **_

_**Writer's tip of the chapter:**_ _Today's lesson pertains to how to use numbers in your writing. If the number is ten or under, the word must be written. If the number is 11 and over however, you must write the number itself._

**Challenge of the chapter:**_ Bonus points to whoever gets the correct answer! Ok, so here's how this is going to work. **I will post a challenge,** usually a vocab one, **and in your reviews, you will leave me what you think the sentence means. You may use any resource **(family member, dictionary, thesauras, your dog - I don't care) **except for the internet and google to decipher the message.** **If you are unsure what the sentence means, just PM me your answer later on,** but you_ _**must **get it in before the posting of the next chapter. If you are correct, or partially correct, **I will award you a number of points (highest number of points you can get for a chapterly challenge is five. Trying but failing completely will get you one point)** and the person with the highest amount of points at the end of this fic will be declared the winner and will get to choose from an assortment of prizes. :) Ok, so this week's challenege is to put the following sentence into common day terms (It's always a saying, so figure out what the saying is and you get five points): **All articles that coruscate with resplendence are not truly auriferous.**_


	10. Dinner

_**Author's Note:** As promised, here's ChapterTen just in time for the end of the week! This chapter doesn't really have a particular genre, it's just got a whole bunch in one and there's a lot of emotional rollercoastering here, so hope everyone enjoys it!_

Disclaimer: I do _not_ own Naruto.

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"Kakashi is this ok?" Rin asked, motioning to her outfit. Wanting to dress to impress for the dinner and also making sure to take the weather into account, she had chosen to replace her usual dress and apron outfit for a more practical dark-washed jeans and light purple argyle sweater combination. 

Kakashi glanced over at her briefly and nodded. "Yeah, it's fine. I mean come on, it's just a dinner; it's not a black tie event."

Running a comb through her hair once more, Rin notified him, "I'm ready to go," and they exited their apartment, heading to the Hokage tower.

Now normally Minato didn't use the residence in the tower at all, but at the recommendation of the council that he be around in case anything were to happen with the war, he had shrugged resignedly and accepted that this was one thing that he could not combat against. What they were proposing did make sense, and the Hokage residence was much larger than his regular apartment, making for more room to cook and entertain tonight's guests.

On their way to the tower, Rin couldn't help but suspect that there was something up with Kakashi; he seemed almost anxious since they'd left the apartment. "Are you ok?" It seemed as though she was going to be asking her friend many questions today.

He looked up from the ground at her, seeming almost surprised that she'd noticed a change in his natural countenance. "Yeah…" he responded, though he was sure that from his trailing off she had surmised that there was definitely something the matter with him on this particular afternoon.

Although he had responded affirmatively to her question, the truth was that there was something that had been bothering him: the proposition sensei had given him the day before. Kakashi was still pondering on what the answer should be and this was a tough question to answer, especially since he needed to answer it on his own, not even having informed Rin of what had gone on yesterday. He had decided to keep this to himself, for he was uncertain of what her reaction would be to the news and he certainly did not wish to upset her with it.

The rest of the walk remained silent, both parties turning the gears in their minds furiously with thought: Rin was still wondering what was up with Kakashi and Kakashi was still wondering what answer to give his sensei. Unknowingly, the rapid turning of their cognitive gears had incurred not only an increase in their brain's processing speed and problem solving ability, but also in their walking pace and in less than an hour, they had arrived at their desired destination.

On their way up the stairs, Rin had dealt with the ANBU members at the door, both of whom were very young (probably initiated in only a week ago), by appeasing their egos, commending them on their efforts, and mentioning that she was the former student of the Yondaime Hokage himself. They'd looked very pleased with her and had let her through immediately, though they appeared to have more of a problem with Kakashi, letting him through only after much insistence on Rin's behalf.

Once inside, the pair quickly found the residence and were greeted by the grinning face of their sensei, who welcomed them in merrily.

Rin went straight to the kitchen, where she found Kushina slaving over a few pots of cooked food and Kakashi joined Minato in the main sitting room, muttering something to him about changing the guards at the door. Minato had rubbed the back of his neck, and explained, "Sorry, but they're the youngest and most inexperienced. All the good ones have been taken away on missions and to the frontlines."

Kakashi nodded in understanding, but still complained that they were much too immature to be handling something like ANBU, describing how Rin had gotten past them so easily by appealing to their senses and ego. Minato laughed good-naturedly at the description, reminding Kakashi that the pair guarding the door were merely two teenage boys, and would act like two teenage boys, no matter what their rank.

Meanwhile, Rin offered her services in the kitchen to Kushina, who gladly accepted and wondered out loud why Minato wasn't the one helping since he was the host. Rin smiled kindly up at the older woman and said that it was probably for the better that Minato wasn't helping in the kitchen; he barely knew how to make instant ramen. At that statement, Kushina grinned and chuckled, agreeing with the younger medic nin. After about 15 minutes of help though, Kushina decided to let her guest of the hook and re-employ her boyfriend.

"Minato!" Kushina yelled through the apartment with such a tone that it had Minato on his feet, standing rigidly in a salute immediately, eyes frozen with fear. Kakashi shook his head and chuckled while Rin, seeing it happen from the doorway, shared a few giggles of her own.

The Hokage then Yellow Flash'd himself into the next room, earning a "Damn it Minato!" and a spatula over the head from his beloved girlfriend.

Kushina then turned to Rin, telling her to go make herself comfortable in the sitting room and not worry about any more preparations; she had already helped enough and after all, she was the guest. Rin had insisted politely that it was not bother to her to help but Minato sided with Kushina, also telling her to go make herself comfortable in the sitting room.

With a warm smile, Rin obediently meandered into the adjacent room, reminding them that she would still help if need be. She then took a seat on the couch next to Kakashi, engaging in idle chatter for a while until the smells of finished cooking wafted through the air and she sat up and went to offer her services once more. Kushina spotted her coming at once and, also once again, told her to go into the sitting room and not worry about helping; she and Minato had everything under control.

Rin disappeared back into the sitting room and Kushina and Minato continued to work on setting the table, laying out the dishes, glasses and bowls with vast varieties of foods on the mahogany oak dining table. While they worked in tandem, they too engaged in idle chitchat until Minato brought around a touchy subject, revealing his doubts.

"I think I made a mistake," he admitted, whispering so that the other pair in the room two doors to their left couldn't hear.

Kushina, not understanding what he was talking about, inquired, "What mistake? Did you put too much salt in the eggplant stew again?"

"No, it's not that," he remarked, frustrated. "I offered Kakashi a position in ANBU yesterday."

"I see," said Kushina, setting down another plate. "And you think this is a mistake…?"

"I just…I don't know what I'm going to do Kushina," he confessed. "I really don't want to take him away from the academy and shove him into ANBU – I know Rin would probably not like me for it as well – but with the way this war has been going, I don't think I'll have a choice in the end."

"Well, I'm sure you'll figure something out, and besides, it's not like you can just retract your offer," she reassured her boyfriend. "How about that change in Kakashi though?"

"What do you mean?" Minato questioned, a now confused look replacing the previously frustrated one.

"Oh come on Minato, don't tell me that you haven't noticed it. His personality has done almost a complete 180!"

"What do you mean?" he asked again.

Kushina popped her head from around the doorframe and peered into the sitting room where she was met with the sight of Kakashi laughing lightly, looking on in amusement at Rin's exasperated expression as she tried futilely to slick down a piece of his dishevelled hair that was sticking up in the back. Kushina peered only more intensely at the pair as she heard Rin make a small comment about how her hands were freezing to which Kakashi had responded by scolding her for not wearing warmer clothing and then allowing her to place her hands anywhere along his arms and absorb the heat emanating from his body. "Jeez," Kushina heard him comment as he shivered slightly, "I always forget how cold they are; maybe if I remembered, I'd actually decline." Grinning triumphantly, Kushina turned back around and beckoned Minato to come over and stand where she was.

He stuck his head out from behind the doorway as well, and was met with the sight of Rin's hands now encircling Kakashi's wrists. Kushina popped her head up beside his and commented, "_That's_ what I mean."

Minato, who now donned an equally triumphant grin, shook his head. "I should have known. It may have been Obito who made Kakashi a changed man, but it's Rin who's keeping him that way. She's always had a comforting and serene presence about her, and it's only helped those around her." His voice took on a lower tone as he continued to speak. "I think it may also be in part because Kakashi still feels guilty and responsible for what happened to Obito. He doesn't want to do anything like that and ignore a friend, he doesn't want to do wrong to those he's closely associated with. Now that nearly everything and everyone is just out of his reach, just far out enough that he can't help, he's going to make sure he helps her. He's going to make sure he's a good person. He wants to at least do right by her."

Kushina nodded in comprehension and then reverted back to setting the table and placing the various plateaus on it. Minutes later she was finished, no thanks to her boyfriend who was still staring at Kakashi and Rin, and she called to them from two rooms over, "Dinner's ready!"

The four of them gathered at the table, all in considerable high spirits and prepared to devour the delectable meal before them. Rin commented on how good the Udon noodles were, Kakashi said nothing but helped himself to thirds, fourths, and fifths of the Eggplant stew, and Minato praised the ramen his girlfriend had attempted to make him. It seemed that Kushina was the most overtly pleased with Kakashi's seemingly intense liking of her eggplant stew, not missing the surreptitious whisper of "Get the recipe" he'd given to Rin.

After stuffing themselves silly, the group headed back over to the sitting room to talk more about each other's lives and discuss current events in the shinobi world. As soon as the topic of the war was brought on, Kakashi, having made his decision, decided to pipe up and let his sensei know. "Minato-sensei?"

"Kakashi, how many times do I have to tell you? You can just call me Minato now!"

Kakashi ignored the man and continued on. "I've made my decision. I accept your proposition; I'll join."

The look on Minato's face as Kakashi shared the information with him was unreadable. At first it had seemed like he was disgusted and upset at the acceptance, but later his look turned to one of well-contained happiness.

Rin on the other hand, donned a look of confusion: What proposition? What was her friend agreeing to? She decided to investigate further into the matter, hoping to draw a conclusion. "What are you two talking about?" she questioned, looking back and forth between the two males.

Minato appeared to remain calm and neutral but Kakashi went rigid almost immediately, mentally scolding himself. _Idiot, you should have known that she'd find out sooner or later._

Catching his reaction, and noticing that Kushina didn't appear even half as confused as she, Rin turned to him. "Kakashi? What proposition?"

Seeing that Kakashi wasn't about to answer her, Minato intervened, hoping that the situation wouldn't get ugly when he told her. "He's going to go into ANBU."

Rin's eyes flashed dangerously in Kakashi's direction when she heard the answer, before a clam, albeit cold, and neutral look overtook her features. "I see."

The conversation continued on lightly but the atmosphere was definitely tenser now that the cat was out of the bag. Suddenly, Rin winced and dropped her head to her hands. Minato and Kushina stood up alarmingly fast, concerned as to what might be happening to the young woman but did not move closer so as not to cut off her air. A few moments passed and Rin finally pulled her head up, still wincing but smiling gently now. "It's fine, I just get chronic headaches. They always come at a bad time," she giggled lightly and the two adults in the room calmed enough to go back to their seats.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Minato asked her, regarding her sceptically.

"Yes, I'm fine," she tried to smile but it came out as a pained grin.

"Want to go home?" Kakashi suggested.

She winced again. "Yeah, maybe we should," she agreed. "Thank you so much for the dinner and I'm so sorry that we have to leave early," Rin said to the couple.

"No problem, you just make sure to get some rest, ok?" Kushina told her.

Rin nodded and exited their home, Kakashi opening the door for her and then following right behind her. When they got out of earshot, they changed demeanours.

"What was that?" he hissed. "You don't get chronic headaches!"

She turned around and glared at him. "Why didn't you tell me about ANBU?" she demanded.

He sighed; so that's what this whole thing was about. He'd been afraid of that. "I was only offered the position yesterday."

"And you didn't think that I may want to know? Did it not run through your mind to tell me?"

They were walking side by side now yet neither was facing the other. He shrugged. "It's not really your business what I do."

"Of course it isn't," she spat venomously and with a burst of speed, she passed by him brusquely and continued to walk in front of him the entire way there.

Anger and confrontation and tension; the three things Kakashi had feared the most when contemplating whether or not to tell her. It seemed that life wanted all his worst nightmares to come true. The pair reached their apartment quickly, and for Kakashi, it seemed that he would have to share his living space with someone who severely disliked him at the moment.

"I still can't believe you didn't tell me," she muttered under her breath, not really intending for him to hear.

He did hear however and he decided to retort. "I didn't want to tell you because I knew you'd react like this!"

"You would have had to tell me sooner or later!"

"You wouldn't have approved; you'd have tried to talk me out of it. This was a decision I needed to make on my own."

"I may not have approved but I wouldn't try and interfere with your decision making. I can't believe you would think that!"

He snorted in disbelief. "Of course you would have."

She spun around so quickly it made both their heads spin. "Don't pretend to know me so well Kakashi," she snapped at him and she looked ready to make a stinging come back but ran her hand through her hair and decided against it at the last minute; she just wanted the arguing to stop. "It's your life, do whatever you want. I'm fine with it, really." Rin then stalked off towards the bathroom, leaving Kakashi to his thoughts.

When they were both finished with the bathroom and in their pyjamas, sitting on their respective mattresses, the atmosphere seemed a little less volatile. "I'm sorry," she apologized, knowing that he wasn't one to start off conversations. "I don't want to argue with you and I didn't mean to snap like that."

He looked down, not meeting her eyes. It was embarrassing enough for him to be apologizing; to actually look at her would mean a certain blush. "I'm sorry too," he mumbled, "I should have told you earlier."

They both leaned back to lie down on their mattresses. Kakashi, still unsure of what was going on in her mind despite her apology, scooted closer over to her mattress and reached out a hand warily to place it on her shoulder, asking warily, "Are you sure you're ok with it?"

Rin abruptly turned over onto her side, just out of his reach, muttering a, "Yeah, it's fine," but by the tone of her voice, Kakashi could tell it was anything but. "It's what you've always wanted, right?"

"Yeah," he confirmed, "it is. This way I can become stronger and help out more. I can also finally put Obito's gift to use and make him proud." He sighed, noticing that she was still as tense and angry with him as before. "But if you don't want me to, I can always change my answer. I'm sure Minato-sensei won't mind and that way I'll be able to around more too. Seriously, if you don't want me to go, I won't."

"No," she sighed exasperatedly yet Kakashi could tell that she wasn't as angry anymore, "That's really sweet of you Kakashi, but that wouldn't be fair to you. You can't build your life around mine and you definitely shouldn't put your dreams on hold because I don't agree at the moment with your decision. Just...if you're doing this, do it for yourself. Don't do it for anyone else, ok? Don't do it for sensei or me or Obito. Remember, you're not living life for anyone of us; at least you shouldn't be. Live life for yourself. This is what you want? This is a goal you've strived towards? Fine. But make sure it's your goal, and not someone else's. Make sure you're not carrying out anyone's dreams but your own."

"I'm not," he insisted, but part of him knew that was a flat out lie.

"Promise?" she held out her pinkie finger, still not bothering to turn back over and look at him.

For Kakashi that was a good thing too because his face looked reluctant and remorseful. He was mainly joining ANBU for himself but he had ulterior motives as well, motives that concerned both his living and his dead teammate. He would try and change it over time though, make it so that he was going to be able to say that his promise to her was real. Kakashi held up his own pinkie and grasped hers in it, saying with a sure tone of voice, "I promise."

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_**Author's Note:** Well, that's the chapter! Hope you guys enjoyed it! Special thanks to chapter nine's reviewers: **catgirl9696, chibirain94, Sakra-chan, snappa, JoiZ.D, ninbunny alchemist, catwomanswrath, and Sachie-chan11!**_

_**Chapterly Challenge: **Yes guys, it's that time again! Before I post this week's chapterly challenge, I will post the standings thus far:_

_**catgirl9696 - 0 points**_

_**chibirain94 - 0 points**_

_**Sakra-chan - 1 point**_

_**snappa - 4 points**_

_**JoiZ.D - 2 points**_

_**ninbunny alchemist - 0 points**_

_**catwomanswrath - 0 points**_

_**Sachie-chan11 - 2 points**_

_As you can see, snappa is in the lead, so that's who you guys/girls need to catch up to! And if I got your standing wrong, please let me know! **And just for reference, last chapter's correct answer was: All that glitters is not gold. **I was hoping that more of you would make the connection to chemistry (auriferous) and whip out your periodic table of elements. XD_

_**Now for this week's chapterly challenge:** It's another popular saying and it's most commonly spoken among pirates and the like. Without further ado, here it is, you need to translate it into common terms (Use any resource you like EXCEPT the internet!) : **Male cadavers are incapable of yielding any testimony.**_


	11. Initiation and Party

_**Author's Note:**__ Hello one and all! I finally put myself to work and managed to get out chapter 11! You should be excited, because I wrote 7,000 words for you guys! ;) I guess for all you Christian/Catholics reviewers, you should consider this my Easter present for you. The beginning is a little more dark and morbid, but you'll see that it doesn't stay like that for long. Hope you enjoy! Please read and review!_

Disclaimer: I do _not_ own Naruto.

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Kakashi glanced all around him as he walked through the doors of ANBU headquarters for the first time. Even though his façade was one of tranquility, menace, and indifference – a strange combination – his heart beat erratically in his chest, the sound pounding rhythmically in his ears.

The headquarters were, without a doubt, the darkest, most imposing, and most intimidating place he'd ever had the misfortune to be in. It wasn't hard to find the room in which the initiation took place; it was the only room that had any smidgeon of colour and the lights weren't the usual dim bulb. No matter how richly decorated it was though, the room still seemed to send out a dark and creepy message, beckoning him to come closer. Kakashi felt as though he was walking himself straight into the pits of hell, and if he'd known about the type of missions he'd be going on, he would have known that he was almost correct.

As he entered the initiation room along with the other initiates, he noticed immediately the lines of ANBU going along both opposite walls. They were dressed in full uniform, masks on their faces hiding their eyes, the light of the room casting an eerie shadow on the face of their mask, making the eyes glint dangerously and turning the mouth's lips up into a wicked, devilish grin. It was like he was joining a cult. He looked away from them at once, a discomforting feeling building itself in the pit of his stomach.

His eyes instead trailed along the regal-looking rich red carpet that lined the floor, leading up to a chair. Kakashi winced inwardly as he noted that the carpet was the same shade of red as enemies' blood; the carpet, instead of making the room feel majestic and welcoming (though that was hardly what you needed to be in ANBU), only added to the hellish effect of the room. A bead of sweat formed itself on his forehead as he heard the exit door shut and saw the lighting grow dimmer.

A tall, burly man (the commander) wearing a different uniform and no mask with dark coal eyes emerged from the shadows and placed himself next to the chair at the front centre of the room. His beady eyes scrutinized the crowd of initiates, just as Kakashi had felt the other ANBU members look down on him before, and the man let out a terrifying laugh that made Kakashi's blood run cold.

"They just keep getting younger!" he bellowed, walking over and getting right up in the face of two teenage initiates. The two teens tried to keep a calm demeanour as much as possible, but Kakashi noticed that all the blood seemed to drain from their face as the supposed initiator stood in front of them.

The man did this to a few more initiates before walking back over to the chair in the centre, seemingly satisfied. He pulled out a light-coloured scroll from his pocket, placed his hand on the chair and called out: Daimon Botan!

A man in his early twenties made his way from the beginning of the line of initiates to the chair at the front centre of the room. The young man sat himself down, relaying to the commander beside him his name, his purpose, and his desire to join the ANBU Black Ops. At once much teasing erupted from the commander, mocking the young man in the chair. He spoke many insults, mocked his physical and mental state, and even went so far as to spit on him. Botan, the young man in the chair, tried his best to keep calm during this, but by the way his eyebrow was twitching incessantly, it seemed that he only had a little until he lost his temper. Then the commander switched gears and proceeded to intimidate Botan, telling him of what could happen to him if he betrayed Konoha, of how the ANBU didn't take kindly to any remotely traitorous gesture. The commander mentioned all the ways an ANBU could kill, holding up photographs to his face of the most gruesome deaths possible. By the end of it Botan had gotten so disturbed and frightened, that he'd ended up chucking his lunch back onto the ANBU headquarter floor.

The commander shook his head at the boy before him, and made a motion to the ANBU to escort Botan out. After the display of what it meant to be initiated, the whole group of initiates went silent, barely daring to breathe, dreading their turn.

"You have seen what it must take to be an ANBU. If you do not have the guts, admit it now before us, and you may take your leave." As soon as this was said, a few young men and women dropped their heads and bowed before leaving.

Kakashi watched as a few more took the initiation test, some failing and some succeeding, and all of a sudden, ANBU wasn't looking like such an appealing option to him anymore. _Still, this is what you've wanted_, he convinced himself. _This is the opportunity you've longed for. Don't turn away from it yet: take it. If you fail the initiation test, then you fail, but at least try!_ He didn't have any more time to think as he heard the commander's voice boom, "Hatake Kakashi!"

Kakashi walked solemnly up to the chair, numbing all emotions with every step he took. Sitting down, he prepared himself for the ultimate test of his mental strength and willpower.

"Hatake Kakashi, eh?" the commander's voice chuckled. "The Hokage's student? Konoha White Fang's brat?"

Kakashi's right eye twitched involuntarily at the mention of his father's name and the commander smirked at him. "Yes, you want to be more useful than your disgrace of a father, am I correct?" The commander spat in front of Kakashi as he mentioned his father. "Talent isn't everything, Hatake Kakashi. You may not be strong enough for ANBU yet; after all, you do need to kill your emotions."

"I am prepared."

The corners of the commander's mouth turned up; he grinned at Kakashi sadistically. "Are you sure? You look so young, like an itty-bitty baby. Can itty bitty Kakashi be trusted with such a big kid job like this?"

Kakashi looked ahead, his eyes hard. "Yes," he growled.

"Even after you _killed _one of your team-mates? Nearly two of them? Can you really be trusted?"

Kakashi's nostrils flared in anger for a moment, before he regained his composure. "Yes," he insisted.

"Let me ask you something Hatake. Do you have any friends?" The older man sneered at him.

"Yes."

"People you care about?"

"Yes."

"Hmm," the commander's eyes glistened darkly. "I didn't think you would; I have a much more interesting way of testing you now." He reached up his hand, staring Kakashi in the eye, and placed his palm on Kakashi's forehead.

A jolt of something resembling electricity flowed through Kakashi and suddenly, Kakashi realized that he was no longer in the ANBU room, but in another room; one completely covered in darkness except for a single spotlight in the centre. Under the spotlight was a girl, her light brown locks shielding her face, a bloodstained apron covering a short black dress. Kakashi knew who she was; he would recognize that hair and dress anywhere. _Rin. _"Kakashi," she turned to him, her tone of voice frightened and pleading. "Kakashi, help me."

When she faced him, the first thing he noticed is that she was covered with bruises and scars, some still bleeding and others healing slowly, forming raw and ugly marks on her porcelain skin.

A metal door opened –he'd heard it even though he couldn't see it – and a shinobi (he couldn't tell from which village) emerged from the darkness into the light of the spotlight overhead. The mystery shinobi (a man) waltzed arrogantly over to Rin, lifted her up by the neck and slammed her forcefully into the nearest wall. "Weakling," the man hissed venomously. "You're pathetic."

Kakashi watched the scene unfurl angrily, and made a move to go over and stop the man…maybe put a chidori or two through him, but when he tried to move, he noticed that he couldn't; his feet were literally rooted to the ground. He struggled some more, only snapping his head back up when the man spoke again.

"Get up weakling," the man spat, looking down at Rin who was now on the ground. "Get up and defend yourself."

She tried to lift herself up and managed to in the end, weakly putting up a kunai in defence. The man opposite her came at her full force, relentlessly making kunai mark after jutsu after kunai mark. Rin, who was obviously running low on chakra, did her best to defend herself but it was clear that he had the upper hand.

"Rin!" Kakashi called out desperately, trying to figure out what else to say, what else to do to make her survive.

The man and Rin seemed to not have heard him, as the battle continued.

"No!" Kakashi yelled again. "Stop it! Let her go; take me instead!"

This time, it seemed like the man had been the only one to hear him for he turned his head towards Kakashi, and Kakashi immediately recognized him as the commander. _What the hell?_ He thought. _What's going on? _After racking his brain for a few moments, Kakashi deduced that the commander must have put him in a genjutsu to see how he would fare in a disturbing situation. As soon as he realized this, the restraints on his feet disappeared and he was able to mobilize himself again. Kakashi, with a fiery will, charged at the man (his commander) in the genjutsu, hitting him straight on. "Bastard!" Kakashi screamed fiercely at the man, hitting him again and again until finally, the room turned back into the ANBU initiation room.

Kakashi's eyes flew open at the sight of the room and his chest heaved up and down heavily from his panting. The rest of the ANBU room was silent in shock and surprise, looking down at the floor beside Kakashi. _What the hell? _That seemed to be the main thought of the day, as he too looked down at the ground beside him. He was met with the face of his commander, staring up at him in surprise, holding his now-broken nose. Oh. It was obvious now what had happened; Kakashi had probably gotten so riled up from the genjutsu that he had attacked his commander in real life.

"Hatake!" the commander barked at him.

_Well there go my chances of succeeding. _"Yes?"

"Welcome to ANBU."

Kakashi's eyes widened even more at the words of his superior. "What?" he breathed, not believing his ears.

"Welcome to ANBU," the older man repeated. "You have displayed everything an ANBU must be, everything he must have. Talent, skill, and harmful intent to name a few, but most important are strength, determination, and fierce loyalty. It is with pride that I welcome you into this elitist organization. I trust you will fare well here."

"Thank you," Kakashi maintained his neutral expression, as he stuck out his hand and helped his commander to his feet. "This is a great honour," he bowed.

"There are some things you must understand though and some things you need to improve on. You must restrain your emotions and discard all personal feelings while on missions. They will make you weak. You must ascertain to yourself and to us that your loyalty for your village is just as great, if not greater than, as your loyalty to your important persons."

Kakashi nodded, listening intently yet still incredulously. He couldn't believe that he had passed; he thought that knocking your commander to the ground would definitely guarantee someone a fail.

"This is your family now. This is your priority. Do you understand?"

"I understand." _Even though these people look like they want to kill me, not be my family._

"Very well Hatake. Congratulations. You will be known as Wolf from now on. You are dismissed and may pick up your uniform as you exit." His superior nodded and bowed while Kakashi returned the gesture before leaving.

Striding confidently and with an air of relief through the doors, he picked up a black bag that contained everything he'd ever need for an ANBU mission. The ANBU who handed him his stuff, told him about the walkie-talkie that would be used to communicate during missions and how ANBU would notify him whenever he had a mission.

Kakashi exited the dark headquarters rapidly, emerging into the bright sunlight of daytime Konoha. He walked briskly and with purpose, reaching his apartment faster than usual and threw open the door. When he walked inside, Rin smiled up at him. "How did it go?" she asked politely.

He let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. It surprised him but he ascertained that it was most likely because his subconscious was still worried that the genjutsu may not have been a genjutsu after all. Seeing her smiling and without any bloodstains or kunai marks only added to the relief he felt after being released from the ANBU headquarters. "Thank god," he whispered to himself.

"What was that?" she asked him. "I didn't catch it."

"I said it went fine," he responded, smiling.

"You got in?" She appeared excited even though he knew that she didn't agree with his decision to join.

"I got in," he held up the outfit packaged in a black bag.

She grinned up at him and clapped. "I knew you could do it!" she cheered. "So what's your code name? Is it something cool?"

"It's kind of cool…yeah. I'm known as Wolf."

"Like rawr Wolf?" she growled an imitation of a wolf's growl. "Or creepy werewolf?"

"Rawr Wolf."

"I like wolves," she told him, still grinning.

He simply smiled back, not really understanding if that was all she meant by her statement or if there was a hidden message.

"Hey, when do you start missions?"

"Uh…tomorrow I think, why?"

"We should go out to celebrate!" she suggested cheerfully.

"Ok," he agreed. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well, we could eat out for dinner or something."

"Sure."

So it was agreed that on this particular evening they'd abandon kitchen duty and let someone else make the food. The pair walked around the streets during the evening, still unsure of where to go. Rin had originally suggested Ichiraku's but Kakashi complained that they ate there too much, and as she began to protest, he silenced her by tacking on, "And I'm not that cheap."

She frowned up at him, but went along with it nevertheless. They ended up dining at a marketplace restaurant that had opened up only a month before. It was small and local, so there weren't too many who ate there, but the food was good and fresh, and cheap considering the fact that Fire Country was in a war. Only trade between allies occurred, and it wasn't usual that even allied countries would share food when it came in small rations. Konoha always had the most food because it was a sunny place filled with an abundance of arable land though the scorching summers sometimes contributed to less crop production.

After dinner was over, and they went back home, Rin asked a question that she'd been dying to ask the whole day. "So, what are you going to do now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you're in ANBU right? That means you won't be teaching anymore."

"I know."

"So what are you going to tell those kids?"

Kakashi paused. He didn't know what he was going to tell them; truth be told, he hadn't even thought of them when weighing the pros and cons of his decision. "I don't know," he admitted. "I hadn't thought of that."

"You better think of something soon then because they're probably expecting you to train with them tomorrow."

Kakashi remained silent, only nodding his head in response. On the walk back neither spoke, and the silence continued upon reaching the apartment; it was only broken when Rin bid him goodnight and fell asleep. Kakashi stayed up as long as possible, trying to think of the best way to break the news to his students; they would be furious with him, of that he was sure.

Morning came quickly and the bright sunshine of Konoha called its inhabitants to wake and begin their daily rituals. Before ANBU was able to give him a mission, Kakashi had quitted his apartment and headed towards the memorial stone, telling Obito all that had happened and the dilemma he was in at the moment. The talk with his former teammate did not last long for he knew that he needed to be at least relatively on time to see his team and let them know. Waiting patiently for him at the training grounds were Haruhi, Sasaki, and Nikko, all chatting quietly amongst themselves.

"Yo," Kakashi greeted them as cheerfully as possible.

"Sensei!" Sasaki answered back enthusiastically. It was strange; although Sasaki had been the first to express his dislike of Kakashi, the boy seemed to be the one who had gotten the most attached.

"What are we doing for training today? Any missions?" Haruhi inquired, eager to prove her worth.

Kakashi just shook his head, and the rest of his team took this unusual silence as a sign that something was wrong.

"What's wrong sensei?" Of course, leave it to Nikko to be the most empathic one.

"Nothing…I have to tell you guys something."

"Yeah?" They all listened intently to him now, worried expressions crossing their features.

"I've been transferred."

"To what? Another team?" Sasaki questioned.

"No," Kakashi answered but by the looks on his team's faces, it seemed they wanted a more complete answer. "I…I'm going into ANBU."

His team groaned collectively, Haruhi being the first to break. "Come on sensei! You too? This just isn't fair! Who does ANBU think they are anyway?! They can't just take you all away! I can't believe this! Geez!"

"How can you leave us like that sensei?! I know that they don't force you to join or anything! How can you do this to us? It's like some sort of betrayal!" Sasaki yelled.

"Sorry, but they need me."

"That's bull! You're barely older than us! They wouldn't recruit you unless you were recommended or something. That means…that means that you _wanted_ to join! That means you asked to leave us! I can't believe this!" Sasaki continued on furiously, shouting at his now former sensei. All of a sudden, he stopped flailing his arms and his voice became low. "What did we do? What did we do to have you want to leave? Are we not good enough? Do you not like us?"

Wow. If Sasaki's goal was to send Kakashi into the third largest guilt trip of his life (the first and second being his father and Obito), it was definitely working. "You guys should know by now that this has nothing to do with you. You're a great group of brats," Kakashi teased. "But ANBU's something I've wanted for a while and now I've been given the opportunity. Even though I'm a genius, all my life it seems like I've been just ruining everything and now…now maybe I have the chance to help, and I'm going to take it."

"But you could be killed! Or worse!" Haruhi protested.

"That's true, but I need to do what I can to help my village, to protect those I care about," Kakashi ruffled their hair trying to keep up his complacent countenance.

"Sensei," Nikko spoke, surprising Kakashi. "I understand. It is your duty to do all you can to help and you wish to be an asset to your village. You're an even greater person than I'd imagined. Your determination, your courage, your kindness; surely you have already given your life's worth of servitude and you have proven your worth, at least to us, ten times over. You expect much of yourself, and that is why you amount to much. I would have taken the opportunity as well, and I hold no resentment towards you for choosing that path. I know that if that situation were different than it is now, if you really had a choice, you would have stayed at this teaching job. I can see it in you; you actually like us," the young boy broke out into a grin.

Kakashi stood there staring at the grinning Nikko, flabbergasted. The boy's mini-speech had been the most mature form of acceptance that Kakashi had seen yet; Nikko was much more intuitive than he'd ever thought. Recovering from his shock, Kakashi replied, "I would like to stay, but you're right; this is part of my duty. This is something I need to do; the war isn't ending and maybe if we have enough properly trained shinobi, we can win. As of right now, it is true that my future is uncertain, but hopefully this idiotic war will cease soon and then none of us will have uncertain futures."

"Well, we wish you luck sensei! Don't die on us!" Haruhi told him, seemingly starting to accept that this was something she could not change. "What will happen now? Will we be assigned a new sensei?"

"I don't know," Kakashi confessed. "It depends on whether or not they have enough people to replace me. Seeing as you're all Chuunin now, they may decide to just keep you as a three-man cell and let you go by yourselves on missions. Whatever happens, always remember to stick together; there's strength in numbers."

"We'll stick together like birds of a feather!" Haruhi and Sasaki chorused.

Kakashi smiled lightly at them, before he noticed a shadow pass through the trees behind them. "Stay here," he commanded, taking off to find out what or who it was.

The person turned out to be an ANBU operative, who had come to notify him about his first mission. "You are to meet at the gates in one hour for your debriefing," the man with a cat mask relayed the message to him and disappeared.

Moments later, he emerged from the shrubbery and walked back over to his team. "I need to go," he told them. "I've been called on my first mission." Kakashi waved, walking away from his team for what he hoped would not be the last time.

"You're a great person sensei. Thank you for everything." Nikko's voice rang in his ears.

"Good luck!" Haruhi yelled after him, waving her arms up and down. "And since we probably won't see each other for a while, I feel next to no shame saying this: You're hot sensei!"

"We'll miss you!" Sasaki declared last, also waving his arms frantically.

Walking away, all at once, Kakashi felt a flurry of emotions course through him; gratitude for the entire team, contentedness at Nikko's words, hilarity and surprise at Haruhi's –though he expected nothing less from the exuberant female – and a wave of relief and nostalgia from Sasaki's words.

By the time he reached his apartment, Kakashi realized it was noon and he had only 30 minutes until he was supposed to be at the gates. He breezed through the apartment, grabbing his uniform and dressing quickly, stopping only momentarily to let Rin know what was going on. She asked him what type of mission it was and when he would be back, but Kakashi told her that he had no clue, and hopefully, he would be back in a week at the most. She groaned and threw her pillow over her face; mumbling something that sounded like, "Take care. Be safe."

Assuming that that was what she said, Kakashi assured her that he would come back alive, and reminded her that she didn't need to worry about the rent for this month; he had already given the landlord their money. At this news, she seemed to perk up more, or at least enough to stand up and smile at him. He stared back at her, also smiling a little; it was only when he realized that he had ten minutes to get to the gate that he broke the gaze and left.

The first mission would be the simplest one, he was told. It was a test of his ability, endurance, and loyalty. The senior ANBU would always go to the frontlines, while the juniors would spend most of their time at the Fire Country border, ready to defend. If all went well with the juniors, they'd get to move up and closer to the front lines with each mission. When one of the juniors asked how long it took to become a senior, the shinobi debriefing them said to the juniors gravely, "With the way the war is going, it can be anywhere from a few weeks to a month."

"How many seniors are there?" the same junior asked.

"Around 25 or 30. The numbers fluctuate based on how many are killed."

The junior gulped, afraid to ask his next question. "And how many die a day?"

"Five or ten. It doesn't hurt to tell you this since you cannot resign now that you've just been initiated; there is a 40 percent survival rate, which, for what's going on up at the front lines, is amazing.

This silenced the junior's questions all together, allowing the person debriefing them to explain the mission. "Your mission is simple enough. You are to rendezvous with the other ANBU at the border, and then split up into your assigned groups and each take a section of the border. Dispose of any threats. If all goes well, you should be back home by the end of the week. Oh, and for your information soldier," the person glanced over at the junior who had been asking all the questions, "The border group's survival rate is 30 percent."

After spending nearly a week at the Fire Country border fighting off Earth-nin coming at him from left, right, and centre, Kakashi understood why it was necessary to kill your emotions in ANBU. Essentially, at this time, ANBU was no longer a shinobi organization but more like a group of skilled assassins. One always needed to have the mind-set to kill every imminent threat, and if one hadn't killed one's emotions, one would find themselves feeling sympathy for the enemy shinobi; one would find themselves wondering if the enemy they were killing had a family back in their country or wondering why the enemy looked so young, scared, and innocent as they pleaded with you not to kill them.

When his time ran up, Kakashi was very glad to be back home in Konoha, away from the blood and gore, away from the crowded sleeping tents and disgusting food pills. He had arrived at mid-afternoon after a long trip back and had collapsed onto his mattress, startling Rin as she came out of the washroom. Seeing his state, she had asked meekly how the mission had gone and he'd tried to mumble something, but he was so exhausted that it came out incoherently by the time the words reached his tired lips.

She knew that there was a good chance he wouldn't even get out of bed, and she secretly thanked the ANBU 'one week on, one week off' policy that was implemented specifically for the fatigued and inexperienced juniors. She waded her way past him and into the kitchen, pulling a pot with soup out of the fridge and heating it up on the stove. Rin was sure that he hadn't had a decent meal in the past week, and he definitely looked thinner and sicklier than he had when he'd left. As soon as the soup was heated up, she poured it into a bowl and stuck it in front of his mattress. He nodded his thanks at her attempts to make him feel better and gratefully drank the soup that was placed in front of him, moaning tiredly as he felt a sharp pain in his side every time he tried to move.

Rin noticed this and frowned. She made him lift up his shirt and show her the gash that cut along the side of his abdomen. "Geez, you're lucky," she sighed with relief after she tested the flesh around the wound. "Any lower and you'd be looking at certain death."

He shrugged, wincing as the motion irritated his wound. "I'm used to close brushes with death."

"You're 14, you shouldn't have to be."

Kakashi wanted to protest but decided that it would take all the energy he didn't have at the moment, so instead he sighed resignedly and let her work on healing him. She first took some rubbing alcohol to clean the wound – something he hated – then healed it mildly with her chakra. The finishing touch was a gauze bandage wrapping itself all the way around his abdomen – a process that he'd needed to prop himself up on his elbows for. Once she finished with his abdomen, she moved to work on the rest of his wounds, and by the time she had finished with the last nasty kunai mark on his bicep, he had already fallen asleep.

He slept the remainder of the day, and woke up around noon the next day. Rin smiled down at his tired form. "Good morning sleepy head."

Kakashi nodded to acknowledge and return the greeting, groaning when he sat up. Rin's smile fell. "Easy there; you don't have to get up if you're not ready yet."

He shook his head and got up, wincing every now and then as he trudged his way slowly into the washroom. Much to his chagrin, cleaning up took longer than usual, for his fatigued body would not allow him to operate at normal speed, sending sharp pains through him whenever he attempted to move like a regular person. By the time he came out of the washroom half an hour later, Rin already had his food out on the table and was working on separating the piles of clean laundry into his clothes and hers.

She stopped to sit with him while he enjoyed his lunch, the first solid meal he'd had in a week. "How are you feeling?" she asked him.

How was he feeling? He was feeling like he'd gotten thrown over a cliff, run over by a truck, and then thrown off a cliff again. Still, he couldn't tell her that after she'd worked so hard the night before to dress his wounds. "Better," he told her, the lie becoming a truth as she smiled up at him.

"That's good."

"You don't have to do everything, you know? I can help," he offered.

"Huh?"

Kakashi looked over to the place where she'd left the piles of laundry. "Oh," she said as she realized what he was talking about, "No, it's fine. They're easy chores, and you're still tired; there's no need for you to trouble yourself. I have to do them now anyway, because tomorrow I need to cook so that there's nothing to do for the day after tomorrow."

"What's going on the day after tomorrow?"

"We're having some belated holiday celebration at the hospital. I volunteered to come in a few hours before and help set up. There's going to be so many nurses and their guests…I think it'll be a fun thing for me to go to though."

"When is it?"

"The day after tomorrow," she stated obviously, "are you sure you're feeling ok? No amnesia or anything?"

He rolled his eyes. "I know that. I meant what time?"

"Sorry," she apologized, embarrassed. "It starts at seven PM but I need to be there at five PM."

"Would you like me to come?"

"Would you _like_ to come?"

"It won't kill me," he shrugged.

"Sure, it's fine with me. But only if you feel up to it; I'm serious Kakashi; if you don't feel up to it, don't come."

He nodded, but the position still stood that he was going to go with her.

The two days passed by rather quickly and soon it was the afternoon before the holiday party. Rin scurried through the house, trying to find the right outfit while Kakashi looked on at the scene, amused; he was already dressed and sitting at the table, waiting for her to finish. She was currently at her drawer, tugging at an article of clothing that didn't seem to want to come out. Finally, after much fighting on her behalf, the stubborn drawer let go and she fell to the floor, clothing in hand.

Pleased that she had won the battle, Rin headed to the washroom to change and came out just minutes later sporting a an outfit of straight-leg jeans, a Burberry style jumper on top of it, and a red t-shirt underneath. "I'm ready!" she called out to her teammate who was still situated at the table.

Kakashi nodded and stood up slowly. He froze when he saw her in the new getup and tried to stop the blood from rushing to his face and making him blush. It was one of the nicest outfits he'd seen come out from that drawer, and it was definitely preferred to the regular black/indigo dress she wore. Even though it was much more casual when compared to what people usually wore to parties and festive events, it somehow still managed to look elegant on her frame. Her hair had been placed up in a regular ponytail, her bangs framing her face in an entirely different way than he was used to seeing. Kakashi realized that he must have been looking at her for too long because she became fidgety.

"Should I change?" she asked uncertainly, biting her lip.

He cleared his throat nonchalantly, trying to mask his embarrassment at having been caught staring. "No, not at all. You look fine."

"I was going to wear a skirt or a dress but then I decided that it would be a nuisance if I needed to climb a ladder or something-"

"You look fine," he insisted, cutting her off.

Her cheeks turned a rosy pink and she nodded. "Ok, let's go then."

The minute they reached the hospital, half the nurses came out to greet her, pulling her away and gushing at the sight of Kakashi. He followed the pack of young females inside, afraid that he was going to get lost in the large hospital. They brought Rin to a room that looked more like a conference hall than anything, and shoved her towards the box marked decorations. Without complaint, she grabbed a ladder from near her and began to put up the red streamers and white snowflakes around the room. When the group of young nurses no longer took any interest in staying with her – mainly because Kakashi kept ignoring them – they left, hurrying off to the hallways to find their friends and exchange gossip.

Rin rolled her eyes at them, but Kakashi could tell she didn't really mean it because of the good-natured smile on her face. As she put up decoration after decoration, Kakashi occupied himself with holding the ladder. The pair engaged in idle chatter while they worked, but that quickly ceased as the room began to fill with people and food, music and lights. The celebration brought many of the previous older nurses Rin had been friends with; they had all taken their leave after becoming pregnant, who had brought their newlyweds along with them. She listened politely to their stories of what had gone on in their lives since they'd left the hospital, and they gave her all the juicy details about their weddings, describing them in greatly unnecessary detail. Kakashi amused himself by finding some food, and standing by himself off to a corner in the south of the room.

Once all the newlywed nurses and old operators had finished their discussions with Rin, she politely excused herself and got some food, walking over to the corner where Kakashi was leaning against the wall casually. "Having fun?" she asked.

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders for the umpteenth time that day. She didn't have to ask; she had already known his answer before he had given it. "Me neither. Come," she said, grabbing him by the wrist, "let's get out of here."

Leading them towards the exit, she grabbed their coats off the racks and headed outside. He followed behind her wordlessly, unsure of what she was doing or where she was going. Rin didn't turn back to him to say anything or explain where they were going, but she stopped dragging him along when they reached the main marketplace. It was nearly empty except for a few merchants and customers, but the holiday themed lights that hung from every apartment balcony, every storefront window, and every street lamp provided a bright and warm atmosphere.

"I've always liked it most here during the holidays," she grinned up at him. "The lights, they're always so beautiful."

"Yeah," he agreed, gazing around himself in awe. Something was definitely wrong with him; the mission must have screwed everything up in his brain; the trauma of defending the border must have gotten to him. What else could explain how everything he looked at was seen in a different light, as if it had just appeared in all its splendour, coruscating with beauty in front of him? Ok, now he was sure he had gone crazy. They were just lights after all. Everyone had them; they were nothing new. So why did it feel like this was the first time he'd seen them? Why did he think they looked amazing now?

"Let's take a walk," Rin's voice disconnected him from his thoughts, and he shook his head, for the first time glad for the distraction.

They walked along the strip of markets and malls, peering into all the windows of small boutiques that were still open. The cold nipped at their hands and face, but the beauty of the outside night deterred them from going inside somewhere and taking cover. An hour later though, the cold had turned their noses, cheeks and fingers red, their lips purple, and their bodies began to shiver in the chilly air. A store nearby sold hot chocolate and they waded in like penguins, their limbs frozen. Once their bodies were thawed and their cheeks only rosy from the soothing pleasure of the hot chocolate going down their throats, they decided to head back.

As they passed many more storefronts, Rin noticed something in one of the windows and went inside. Kakashi had barely registered that she'd left his side until he asked a question and received no answer. Becoming panicked, he looked around frantically for her, his shoulders dropping in relief when he noticed that she was running to catch up to him.

"Where did you go?"

"I had to buy this," she pulled out a small red stamp with a Fire Country emblem.

"A stamp?" he arched an eyebrow.

"Not just any stamp," she assured, taking the lid off and stamping her hand. She showed the red mark to him; it was a rough drawing of their sensei's face with the words 'Yondaime Approved' on the bottom.

"Hokage paraphernalia," Kakashi rolled his eyes, understanding.

"I thought it was cute!" Rin maintained. "It will definitely cheer him up when he has to do all that paperwork! I'm going to give it to him for his birthday," she grinned.

"That's a good idea," Kakashi concurred. "Now let's get out of here," his teeth chattered, "I'm freezing."

"That reminds me!" Rin exclaimed, digging into the messenger bag she had taken with her. "Here you go," she pulled out a blue knitted piece of fabric. "I made you a scarf while you were gone! I figured you'd get cold and all so…anyway, it's your favourite colour!"

He took it from her, stunned. He still couldn't get over how unbelievably kind she was to people who didn't deserve it. "T-Thanks," he stammered, feeling his face heat up a little; if she asked him about it, he'd let her know that the only reason he stammered was because of the cold. Yeah, that's it. It was the cold's fault. He tied the scarf around his neck carefully, revelling in the warmth it brought, and stuck his hands back into his pockets.

A cold gust of wind blew by; Rin shivered and unconsciously attached herself to Kakashi's arm. He looked down at her in shock, but seeing as she didn't seem to notice, he let her stay attached. It wasn't like he minded or anything; it wasn't like there was someone they knew around.

Besides, he kind of liked it. It kept him warm.

* * *

_**Author's Note:**__ Well, there it was! All 12 word document pages in size 9 verdana font of it! I really hope that you enjoyed it, and please leave a review. Thank you to chapter ten's reviewers: __**ninbunny alchemist, catgirl9696, chibirain94, Sakra-chan, Bluishorbs, catwomanswrath, snappa, Hikari Minamoto, and JoiZ. D!**_

**Chapterly Writer's Tip:** Alliteration assists authors always. Alliteration is the repetition of same sounds and is used to write effective persuasive pieces. It is a rhetorical device that author's find very useful, and it's my personal favourite.

**Chapterly Challenge:** Alright, now for the standings of the chapterly challenge! Last week's answer was Dead men tell no tales! A lot of you got that, so congratulations! Here are the standings so far!

**Catgirl9696**- 5 points

**Chibirain94**- 5 points

**Sakra-chan**- 6 points

**Snappa**- 9 points

**JoiZ. D**- 5 points

**Ninbunny alchemist**- 0 points

**Catwomanswrath**- 0 points

**Sachie-chan11**- 2 points

**Bluishorbs**- 0 points

**Hikari Minamoto**- 5 points

So there you go, snappa is currently in the lead with Sakra-chan and a few others close by! Now for this week's challenge: **It is fruitless to indoctrinate a superannuated canine with innovative manoeuvres. **There you have it! What is common saying hidden underneath all these articulate vocabulary words? You may use anything _but_ the Internet as a resource! Good luck!


	12. Minato's Birthday and Surprises

_**Author's Note:**__ Well, after another couple of days of extremely hard work, I managed to finish chapter 12 and have lovingly posted it for your amusement. Hope you enjoy!_

Disclaimer: I do _not_ own Naruto.

* * *

It seemed like a cloud of relief hung over Konoha; its merciful opacity blocking out some of the UV rays the harmful sun emitted. Despite the freezing weather outside, something Konoha had not experience for years, birds chirped happily, flying about the remote village.

Kakashi woke groggily to their chirps and felt around his mattress for the alarm clock, automatically assuming that it was what had produced this noise. When he'd finally managed to grab hold of the purple clock and hit the snooze button, he realized all too angrily that it was not the cause of the sound. He stood up, grumbling, walked to the window and threw it open, calling out a "shuddup" to the birds outside. Of course they didn't shut up, their chirps only growing louder in volume. Kakashi rubbed his temples and sighed. Why couldn't they just let him sleep? Didn't they know how tired he was? It was rude to keep him awake when he was so fatigued.

Another week on the border had drained Kakashi of the energy to function. The enemies that managed to slip past the cracks of the frontlines and make their way to the border were possibly the most skilled of all, and therefore, the most dangerous. It had been a constant struggle for him the entire week, and he'd needed to use the Sharingan quite a few times. He was thankful for the gift Obito had given him for it helped greatly when seeing the enemy's movements, but since he was not an Uchiha, it depleted his chakra reserve at an incredible rate, leaving him nearly immobile after a week's worth of use.

It hadn't helped that one of the juniors at the border had accidentally let an enemy nin through, and Kakashi, being the only one even close to finishing his week's shift, was sent to chase after him and take him out. The enemy had been a female with the most extraordinary Taijutsu and Ninjutsu abilities he'd come across, and his Sharingan was used for most of the battle. In the end, he'd managed to take her out nearly right outside of Konoha gates, and after making sure that she was indeed dead – setting her corpse on fire with a Katon – he'd proceeded home, where he'd collapsed in the door way from exhaustion due to overuse of the Sharingan and a week's worth of malnourishment.

The birds outside still seemed oblivious to his problems and went on chirping happily, keeping him awake. Groaning, he headed back to the windowsill and uttered a few more curses at the birds outside, before shuffling slowly to the washroom. After he'd finished cleaning himself up – Rin had been so tired herself from her long shift and having to drag his unconscious body to the mattress that she'd nearly passed out too – he made himself some of the potent, revitalizing tea that Gai had given him for his last birthday and downed it in shots, receiving a sudden invigorating burst of energy. The tea had woken him up enough so that he was able to set to work on cleaning his own wounds with the dreaded antiseptic and wrapping gauze bandages – something that there was an endless supply of in the bottom washroom cupboards – around the scar tissue.

Once he was finished, Kakashi exited the washroom and was met with the sight of Rin standing, arms crossed over her chest, glaring at the window behind her. "Stupid birds," she muttered under her breath, pushing past him. Kakashi would have erupted in cachinnation if not for the fact that it was uncharacteristic of his personality and the fact that he was slightly worried that Rin may be mad at him. Since living with her, he'd discovered all about her dislike towards being woken up, but never once had she been hostile towards him or completely ignorant of his presence. He wondered what she was angry with him for and was unable to come up with an answer.

As Rin came out of the washroom just moments later, she greeted him cordially, seemingly in a more chipper mood. Kakashi asked if she'd like some tea – knowing that it would wake her up immediately – and she'd responded, "Yes, thank you," before taking her seat at the table.

He poured the tea into one of the smaller cups in the house, and handed it to her. She raised an eyebrow at the miniscule amount of tea, but drank it down nevertheless. Moments later, once it settled into her system, she experienced a burst of vibrant energy course through her veins and she was immediately awake. "Oh snap! I totally forgot; we have something important to do today!" She exclaimed, the words flowing from her lips so rapidly that Kakashi needed a few minutes to decipher what she'd said. "Oh boy! Oh boy!" She continued, rising from her seat and bouncing up and down. "I totally forgot! I totally forgot!"

Kakashi's good eye followed her form, looking up then down repeatedly and rapidly; finally, the beginnings of a migraine began to form in his head. "Rin," he tried to put his hand out as a stop sign and catch her wrist, "Rin, stop bouncing like that. You're making me dizzy."

Much to his comfort, she listened to him and moved back to sitting in her seat. "Now," he said, "what did you forget?"

"It's a big day today!"

He sighed; this was like talking to a little kid. "Ok. Why is it a big day?"

"It's sensei's birthday party day! He invited you and me back up to the Hokage tower apartment for his birthday today!"

"I'm never giving you this tea again; it makes you way too hyper."

"Nope!" she told him, "I'm not hyper at all actually! I'm just masking the fact that I really don't want to talk to you right now!" Her face changed from the excited expression back to the vexed one she'd had this morning.

"I knew it," he sighed, "you're mad at me. Ok, ok, I'll bite. What did I do this time?"

"You didn't do anything, and I'm not mad." She ignored the sceptical look on his face. "I just wish you'd be more careful. You nearly gave me a heart attack when I saw you passed out in front of the door like that."

"Sorry," he apologized.

"Don't apologize for that," she said, rubbing her shoulder, "apologize for the fact that one of my arms is nearly immobile from dragging you. Geez, you're heavy; you look a lot lighter than you are."

"Muscle weighs more than fat."

"Muscle?! What muscle? You're skin and bones!" She threw her arms up, and then brought her right shoulder back down when it stung. "Or at least I thought you were," she added, wincing.

"What happened to the Rin who didn't complain? Who did things from the goodness of her heart?" he teased.

Ok, she knew that he was reckless, but now he was just playing with fire. She'd grown a lot tougher since Obito's death and her moods were very human; he shouldn't have teased her for that. "Do things from the goodness of my heart?! I did do this from the goodness of my heart! You know what? Maybe I'll just kick you awake next time and you can drag yourself to bed; how's that sound?"

He held his hands up in defence at her aggressive hands-on-hips stature. "Point taken. You're a very thoughtful person."

She grinned triumphantly at him, sticking out her tongue. "Of course I am! Now hurry up and get ready; we don't want to be late!"

* * *

When they reached the Hokage tower, gifts in tow the same young ANBU boys who had been guarding the door the first time greeted Rin politely.

"Hello there miss," the one on the left greeted, bowing.

She returned the gesture, smiling at him. "You can call me Rin, no need for the whole 'miss' thing."

The one on the right now turned towards her, bowing, and taking her hand gently. "Very well. I will call you Rin, and you can all me anytime."

Rin giggled good-naturedly at the young man's attempts to be sweet while Kakashi commented from behind her, "How did they ever let you two losers into ANBU?"

"Watch it Hatake," the one on the left warned. "We just may not be able to resist the urge to kick your ass."

Kakashi snorted. "As if you could."

"There's no need to quarrel boys," Rin smiled at both parties, hoping to avoid a confrontation.

"We'll forget it ever happened if you go out on a date with us," the one on the right, who still had hold of her hand suggested.

Rin's face remained polite, but she wrenched her hand out from his. "I know you did not mean this to offend me, but I feel that you as a gentleman should not pressure me into a situation. I believe that I have earned the right to make my own decisions. Now, if you were to ask me out properly, I might say yes, but I dare say that you need to have a bit more propriety in this matter."

"We apologize, Rin-san," they chorused, bowing once more. "Will you go out with us? It would be the greatest honour."

She paused thoughtfully, and heard Kakashi's voice growl from behind her, "It's ok, you don't have to go anywhere with these scumbags."

"You better watch yourself Hatake, or that mouth of yours is really going to get you into trouble."

"What do you know about trouble? I'm out there risking my life while you cowards are safely positioned here, guarding a door that no one even goes in except for us."

Rin seemed to have come back down to the situation at hand. "I will you out with you," she began, hearing the ANBU boys cheer, "on the condition that you become more mature with respects to your work and life. I understand that you're still young; how old are you guys anyway?"

"Sixteen," the one on the right supplied.

"Right, sixteen. So you're young, but you really shouldn't let your guard down so easily. As ANBU, you are considered elites, and thus are put into situations that require maturity and responsibility; I shouldn't be able to get past you just by smiling prettily once. You may want to think about your position or resign from it altogether."

The two ANBU in uniform straightened up immediately. "Please hand over your citizenship and state your business."

Rin complied with their requests, as did Kakashi, and after going through a thorough check, the ANBU guards nodded at the pair. "You may proceed." Kakashi and Rin were handed back their citizenships and the doors to the tower opened.

"Good job boys," Rin remarked, smiling, "I'm proud of you."

She and Kakashi then headed inside the tower, walking in the direction of the Hokage apartment. Just as the entrance doors were about to shut once more, one of the ANBU called after her, "Wait! What about our date?!"

Rin giggled lightly under her breath, and walked on as if she didn't hear them. Kakashi, still frustrated with them, complained to Minato the first second he got in the door. Minato grinned and asked, "What? Did Rin get past them again?"

"To say they let me in easily would be an understatement!" she told her sensei. "They all but shoved me through the door! I set them right though; you can thank me later."

Minato grinned at her. "Aw, look at you Rin!" He teased merrily. "All grown up and attracting all the boys' attention!"

Rin turned her embarrassed gaze to the floor, blushing. "Here are your presents," she mumbled softly, holding out her left hand, which still carried the bags of presents.

He took them from her hand, and thanked her before setting them down along with massive amounts of others that had formed a small mountain in the corner of the living room. "So," Minato looked back at the two young teens, "how are you guys?"

"Kind of tired," Rin admitted, "but ok, I guess. I can't wait until I get seniority at the hospital next spring, so that I can choose my shifts."

"Kakashi?" Minato turned to him. "How are you?"

"How do I look?"

"Like hell," Minato joked, grinning.

"Eh," Kakashi shrugged, "that's roughly how I feel."

"That's how my shoulder still feels," Rin spoke, glancing at Kakashi.

"I apologized for that already. Do you need to bring that up here too?" Kakashi groaned.

Minato arched a thin blond eyebrow at the pair. "Do I want to know?"

"No," Kakashi informed.

"Rin, don't attract the boys _that_ much," Minato warned light-heartedly.

"It's nothing like whatever you're thinking!" Rin almost shrieked, her face turning tomato red. "Honestly sensei! You've been spending too much time around Jiraiya-sama!"

"No need to get so defensive," Minato grinned once more at her blushing face.

"Oh Minato, leave the poor girl alone," Kushina's voice came uncharacteristically softly from the doorframe between the living room and kitchen.

In a second Minato had dropped the jesting façade and appeared by her side, a small frown on his face. "You really should be resting," he whispered, while she waved at Kakashi and Rin.

Kushina smiled at her boyfriend, responding, "And miss the party? Not a chance."

Knowing that she wasn't going to listen to him no matter how much he believed that rest was a better option for her now than partaking in a party, Minato sighed resignedly and guided her over to the couch.

After the group had discussed their share of current events, Minato began opening the pile of gifts, pausing every so often to gaze worriedly at Kushina, who kept excusing herself for variable periods of time. One of the first presents he had opened was from a child at the academy who had recently lost his parents; the gift was a handmade pin the tail on the Hokage game, complete with a full-length, roughly drawn picture of Minato and a red tail to match the fire cloak. Greatly amused by his gift, Minato insisted that they stop opening gifts for a while in order to play the lovely handmade game; Kakashi ended up becoming so disoriented from being spun around before playing, that he had ended up pinning the tail on the actual Hokage's head. Rin and Kushina had laughed at him, but when it was Kushina's turn, she hadn't fared much better; she ended up pinning it onto his actual cloak. Rin was the only one who managed to actually get it on the picture, and not the person, but even her attempt was way off; she had pinned the tail onto his leg.

Minato had nearly started crying from laughing so hard at their pathetic attempts, and, deciding to spare them from more humiliation, went back to opening the gifts. It had taken him roughly an hour, and the gifts ranged greatly, but he finally managed to get down to Rin and Kakashi's gifts. He took a shiny dark blue bag and opened it, finding inside a packet of tea whose brand he'd never come across, and a framed photo of the entire team – Minato, Kakashi, Rin and Obito – that was taken on their first day out from the academy. Minato smiled appreciatively at the gift, nostalgia taking over him for a moment, before he returned to reality and asked from who the gift was.

Kakashi said nothing, not having known anything of this gift, but Rin spoke for him. "It's from Kakashi."

"It is?" Minato and Kakashi chorused unintentionally. Minato was merely surprised because he hadn't expected something this sentimental from Kakashi. Kakashi, on the other hand, was surprised because he hadn't really picked out a gift; the ANBU work had made him completely forget about his sensei's birthday altogether.

"Yeah, you helped pick it out, remember?" Rin smiled at Kakashi.

"Sure," he complied.

"Well, thanks Kakashi!" Minato thanked. "That was really thoughtful; what's up with the tea though?"

"It gives you energy."

Minato thanked him once more and then picked up a large, bright red bag. "I'm assuming this is from you, Rin?"

The girl sitting next to Kakashi nodded. "Don't get _too_ excited though; the gift isn't as big as the bag."

Minato reached his hand into the red bag, pulling out a huge white construction paper card with flame designs running along the bottom. Rin's neat calligraphic writing printed, "Happy Birthday Hokage-sama!" across the front page, but Minato noticed some other things written in a different style all over the page.

"It'll make more sense if you fish around for the next thing," Rin suggested.

Minato reached once more into the bag, this time pulling out a white t-shirt with some green script on it. It had the sign of the Inside Ride and then a bunch of handprints in coloured paint and various signatures/messages written on it.

"The kids at the hospital just wanted you to know how grateful they are for what you did," Rin told him. "Some of them have been able to go home because we've managed to develop cures for a few of the cancers through the funds raised at this event. The children realize that as Hokage, you have a bunch of responsibilities and they just wanted to thank you properly for taking the time away from your duties to come out and meet them and give support."

"I need to go visit those kids again soon," Minato noted to himself, smiling while he went back to read the card with their signatures on it.

"There are more."

"What do you mean Rin?"

"Look in the bag; there are more gifts."

Minato went back to fishing around and pulled out a prettily wrapped package. Tearing off the wrapping paper like a little kid, he took out the gift, discovering that it was an exact replica of the fire cloak he had on now. On it was attached a sticky note, saying, 'Just in case something happens to the other one! Love Rin.'

"Thanks Rin, really, they're all great."

"Keep going, sensei. There's still more."

"Still more? Rin, you've already given me too much!"

"Just open them, sensei."

He obeyed her command, pulling out yet another rectangular parcel, this one covered in shiny gold wrapping paper. Just like before, Minato threw the wrapping paper aside, and flipped the gift over in his hands, this time trying to figure out what it was. It looked like a rectangular book, the covers draped in red satin, the spine of the book draped in gold satin.

"Uh…thanks Rin," Minato said, unsure of what to make of this gift.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Open the book sensei."

He did as he was told and found inside that it was a handmade scrapbook. Various images, leading up from the days when Minato was a small baby to the present day, were meticulously placed and framed, different quotations and descriptions of moments under them. Minato skimmed through the pages, awed at the handiwork and thoughtfulness that had gone into this gift, and stared with even more wonder at the last page. It was an autographed page that all three former members of his team had signed, their picture on the top of their signature. "But how?" Minato wondered out loud as he ran his fingertips along his dead student's autograph.

Rin still smiled at him, albeit a little more sadly. "I had originally planned to give you this album for your birthday last year, but then _that _happened" – the subject was still too touchy to phrase exactly – "and I got a little selfish. I wanted to keep the only physical evidence I had that he'd existed."

"Rin, you can still keep it," her sensei told her.

"No, it's ok. I think I can let it go now."

A slightly uncomfortable silence overtook them, altering ever so slightly their merry demeanours, until Kakashi finally found his voice.

"I think that you've still got one more gift in that bag, sensei," he told the older man, remembering the stamp that Rin had bought.

"Still? Rin, you spoil me!"

She grinned. "It's ok sensei; you deserve to be spoiled."

For the final time, Minato fished around in the large red bag and pulled out a small red bag. Reaching inside the smaller bag, he retrieved the 'Yondaime Approved' stamp, his eyes lighting up as soon as he realized what it was.

Rin let out a laugh as he stamped himself, and then began to stamp everything in sight. "I thought it would take away from the dullness of paperwork," she confessed.

"Rin, you are my favourite student! Come here!"

She stood up obediently and walked over to her sensei, embracing the man that was more like a father than a sensei to her. There was just something about him that made him feel comfortable to be around and kids in general loved him. Perhaps it was a sense of security that he emitted, or the ability to closely relate with even the youngest of children. Whatever it was, it had always made her look up to him and respect him. When she had first gone to him with her problem, he had been the adult who had signed her first apartment's lease agreement – hence the surprise at finding her staying with Kakashi. She was disconnected from her thoughts when she felt a light pressure on her cheek; it had taken her a while to ascertain that it was her sensei stamping her on the face. Rin laughed at his actions, and then took her seat.

"Kakashi, thank you for the photo! Come here!"

Just as Rin had done, Kakashi walked obediently over, albeit a bit more warily, eyeing his sensei's outstretched arms with suspicion. "A handshake would suffice."

"Kakashi, why are you such a killjoy?" Minato muttered, rolling his eyes teasingly, but nevertheless gave into his student's demand and simply shook his hand. Once Minato had clasped Kakashi's palm in his own, he abruptly pulled his student forward towards him and stamped the young boy's forehead. Caught completely off guard, Kakashi had no chance to fight back, and thus, was stamped just as Rin had been.

Minato let go of a glaring Kakashi, ignoring the boy's murderous looks entirely, and headed towards a stack of papers he needed to sign. He began stamping nearly each and every single paper, exclaiming, "This is the best birthday ever!"

His stamping was only stopped when Kushina dimmed the lights and lit the candles on his birthday cake, entering the room singing with one arm preventing the candles from extinguishing. "Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday dear Minato, Happy birthday to you!" Kushina continued singing all the way to the coffee table, and Rin and Minato joined in with her – Kakashi would only mumble the words – singing and clearing the table so that Kushina was able to set the cake down.

As soon as the cake was set, they all cheered for Minato, waiting for him to think up a wish. It had taken a while – in fact, it had taken just long enough for Kushina to remember to get the camera and take a picture – so the candle blowing was postponed for another minute. Kushina gathered them to the loveseat sofa they owned, trying to squish them all in to the camera's range. Once the timer was set to 30 seconds, she hurried back to the couch and found them all places to sit. In the end, Minato had convinced Kushina to sit on his knees, one arm around her waist, while Kakashi took up the other seat of the sofa, leaving Rin to perch herself on the armrest; Rin also crossed her arms, lay her head on them, and set them atop of Kakashi's right shoulder. All four smiled at the camera – though with Kakashi you couldn't really tell – and broke apart from their spots the minute the camera flash had disappeared.

Minato, who had thought up his wish, set himself closer to the lit up cake, and prepared to blow out all his candles. Just as he was about to extinguish their light, and began enjoying his delectable dessert, there came a knock at the door. Not wanting to stand up, Minato simply called, "Come in!"

An ANBU official materialized in the room, his/her face hidden behind a boar mask. "Hokage-sama," the person said with a female voice, bowing to Minato. "I have urgent news from the frontlines."

Minato and Kakashi sat up straighter. "Go on," urged Minato.

"We have reason to believe that Konoha is now close to victory. Since a couple of days ago, Earth's advances on our frontlines have stopped and it is rumoured that the Tsuchikage is seeking a cease fire with Konoha."

"Hmm, I don't know what to make of this. It doesn't seem right though; Iwagakure is one of the toughest villages out there, it doesn't make sense for them to just draw back."

"Yeah," Kakashi agreed, adding on, "when I was at the border, it seemed like there was no end to them trying to come in."

"Nevertheless, a peace treaty or even just a cease fire is definitely ideal for now," Minato said hopefully. "Commander."

"Yes, Hokage-sama?"

"I'll accept this information and if it turns out to be true, then all the better. Still…don't let your shinobi get their guard down and prepare yourselves for the worst. It's probable that they're just laying low to plan a surprise ambush. We can't let that happen; let your men and women know that the war is still on until the Tsuchikage or I declare otherwise."

"Yes Hokage-sama," the woman bowed again and disappeared.

"Who was she?" Rin asked.

"_She _is our leading commander. Her name is Shizuoka Akane; she used to be the one who recruited shinobi for ANBU, but as soon as the war started, she was the first to lead a group of ANBU's finest to the frontlines."

"Girl power! But sensei, are only ANBU allowed on the frontlines?"

Minato grimaced. "No, any shinobi can volunteer to be transferred there if they are of suited age or rank. It increases our numbers, but it doesn't really help us win. Because there is a flee-on-sight order implemented now, many have just foolishly gone up to the frontlines and then fled for the furthest place possible when danger arose."

"We've never had a flee-on-sight order before."

"That's because I wasn't Hokage before. I believe each and every shinobi should have the right to decide whether they want to die for their country or not. This war changes nothing."

"What if the cease fire is real?" Kakashi questioned.

"If the cease fire is real, then all the ANBU and shinobi from the border and frontlines can start heading back home," Minato replied, running a hand through his blond hair, "and I can truly say then that this was the best birthday ever."

Kushina smiled at all of them. "Let's just forget about all this war and ANBU stuff for now, ok? Your candles are about to go out."

"Yeah," Minato grinned back, moving his head towards the cake again.

"Don't forget to make a wish sensei!" Rin reminded him.

Minato paused for a moment, thinking about what he should wish for, after which he took a big gulp of air and blew out all his candles in one breath. The rest of them cheered as the candles went out and Kushina made a move to turn the lights back on. Handing out plates to each of them, she cut the cake into pieces and put one piece on their plates. The cake was of vanilla and chocolate mousse with strawberries and cherries on top.

It was not only the cake's good looks that earned it high ratings with Minato, Kakashi and Rin, but also its sweet, rich, delicious taste. All three asked for seconds, and Minato and Kakashi even had the stomach for thirds. Kushina was more than delighted to see that everyone was pleased with her cooking abilities, and even more so that Kakashi ate up everything she made. She'd given the teen boy a friendly slap on the shoulder, labelling him a good guy based on his eating habits.

Minato laughed at both Kakashi and Kushina during that time, until Kushina's face changed expressions from a jovial one to an infirm one. She politely excused herself, appearing as though she was going to be sick to her stomach, and Minato quickly withdrew his hold on her waist, gazing after her worriedly.

"Is she ok?" Rin inquired, noticing the change in expression. Being a medic made you able to tell when something was seriously wrong, and though Rin didn't want to frighten Minato, she was sure that there was something seriously wrong with Kushina.

"I don't know," Minato admitted. "She's been feeling sick to her stomach for a couple of days now. It's seems to be worse earlier in the day though. I think she may have come down with a stomach flu or something."

"Would you like me to check and find out for you?" Rin offered.

"That would be so great if you could," Minato sighed with relief, never happier that he had a young, talented medic as a student and friend.

Rin nodded and smiled reassuringly at her sensei before taking off to the washroom. There, she found Kushina emptying the contents of her cake into the toilet bowl. Rin looked at the older woman sympathetically, joining her down on the washroom floor and holding her hair back while she retched incessantly for nearly five minutes. Once her nausea seemed to have cleared, Rin deemed it the right time to perform a medical check up.

"How long has this been going on?"

"A few days," Kushina replied meekly, still panting.

"Have you experienced any other symptoms?"

"Nothing _that _out of the ordinary. I don't think this is just a stomach flu though; I've had those before and the nausea's never been this bad."

"Yeah, I don't think you have a stomach flu either." Rin stood up, dusting herself off, and held out a hand to Kushina who took it gratefully. Rin pulled the other woman up, and led her to her bedroom, making her lie down.

"Wait!" Kushina exclaimed. "Where are you going?"

"I have a hunch, I'll be right back."

Rin exited the apartment, ignoring Kakashi and Minato's questions on her way out and headed toward the main entrance. She didn't want to enter through the back doors again in case the ANBU guards were still there, waiting for her answer.

Moving as swiftly as she could, she headed to the drugstore and began her search for the blue package she desired. Upon finding it, she raced to the cash, skidding to a halt in front of an old cashier lady who looked up at her, back down at what she was purchasing, and shook her head disapprovingly. Paying for the item, Rin took off again, determined to make it back to Minato's Hokage apartment in record time. To save all the poor pedestrians below, Rin propelled herself from rooftop to rooftop using her chakra and avoiding all traffic. Within ten minutes, she was in front of the back doors again. Once she noticed that she had reached the back doors and not the front, and that the guards were still there, she cursed herself mentally.

Silently, she walked up the stairs to the doors, ignoring the gazes of the two young ANBU who had asked her out earlier that day. She was about to pass through the door when one of them put his hand out. "Sorry, we can't let you pass until you've given us a straight answer."

Rin glared, feeling a low growl build itself in her chest cavity. "To what?"

"To the date of course!"

They were still going on about that? Something so trivial? They were interrupting her urgent doctoring for something so idiotic? That was it; they were getting it. Normally Rin was a patient female, but right now when she had an urgent task to perform, she was completely someone else. "You know what? Screw you two and your dates! I need to get in there because I have something urgent for the Hokage!"

"Sorry sweetheart," the one with his arm in front of her apologized, "we still can't let you through."

"You will let me in this minute!" she demanded, shrieking at them, her face livid. "You will if you know what's good for you! I may not have the strength to knock you out myself, but you will be dealing with one _very _angry Kakashi and one _very_ upset Minato-sensei if you don't let me in right this minute! To mess with me right now is to be asking for it from both of them! Now let me through before I have you fired and beaten!"

Although Rin could not see either of the boys' faces, she was almost certain that their expressions were shocked and they were wincing. Not only had she managed to reach such a high pitch with her screaming, but also she knew that they understood that she told the truth when she threatened them. Stepping aside, they let her through, this making her demeanour change back to a polite one. "Thank you two gentlemen for understanding," she bowed to each of them then sprinted through the halls to the apartment.

She threw the door open, panting heavily from her run, and roughly pushed past her two very surprised male friends. Making sure that they weren't following her, she went back into Kushina's bedroom where the woman was still seated on the bed, and took out her purchased item from the bag.

Removing the blue packaged item from the plastic drugstore bag, Rin held it up in front of Kushina. "You know what this is, don't you?"

Kushina took one look at it and blanched. "Oh god," she whispered, sounding mildly horrified and confused, "you're not serious, are you?"

"It's a possibility that you need to consider," Rin told her.

Just then a knock was heard at the door, and Minato's voice came from the other side. "Rin? Kushina? Everything ok in there?"

"Yeah, everything's fine," Kushina croaked, still glancing horrifiedly at the package in Rin's hands.

Minato heard the break in his girlfriend's voice though and decided that everything was indeed not all right. "Can I come in?" he asked.

Rin threw the package at Kushina, mouthing a 'hide it' and opened the door just a crack. "Sorry sensei, you're not allowed in yet; I haven't completed my diagnosis. You can however, fetch me three bottles of water to make yourself useful and then wait patiently in the living room until I come out."

A pause of silence was heard and then, "Yeah sure."

Once Minato had brought the bottles of water, Rin set Kushina to drink them immediately. In a time frame of a half hour, Kushina had managed to drink three whole water bottles, and half an hour after that, her bowels gave in. Quick as lightning, Rin opened the blue package expertly and handed Kushina the contents, shoving the older woman into the washroom. Rin then waited patiently outside the door for Kushina to finish, giving the woman some extra time to also settle her emotions.

"Rin?" she heard Kushina call her from inside the washroom.

"Yes?"

"Can you come in here please?"

"Sure."

Upon entering the washroom, Rin noticed that Kushina's face was in her hands and she appeared upset. "Well, what does it say?" Rin asked, motioning to the device in Kushina's hand.

"It's just as you thought."

"My hunches don't tend to be wrong. So, what do you plan on telling sensei? It's not my place to let him know of these findings."

"I don't know how or even when to tell him."

"Tell him when you're ready, but don't wait too long to let him know. At the rate he's going, he'll either send himself into insanity from worry or he'll have a cardiac arrest; personally, I can't heal either." Rin smiled jokingly at Kushina.

This seemed to do the trick as Kushina found her optimism again and managed to smile back. "Ok, I'll tell him today." Kushina didn't know how she'd managed to smile, but there was something about Rin that just brought happiness. It was as though the young girl was able to manipulate the emotions in the atmosphere, and relieve all tension from a situation. "Hey Rin? How did you even know to have that as a hunch?" Kushina wondered out loud.

"I don't know; Minato-sensei said that you were feeling sick to your stomach and it happened in early day, thus, I put two and two together to get morning sickness."

"You're a smart girl."

"Thank you. Now, I'm going to drag Kakashi off and leave you to tell Minato-sensei ok?"

"No, not just yet! At least let him enjoy his birthday a little longer!"

"Honestly Kushina, he's so distraught with worry, I doubt he'd enjoy it if we stayed. Just keep calm about this; he's not going to freak like you think. Sensei's a pretty calm person."

Kushina sighed, standing up. "Fine."

She and Rin made their way back to the living room, Rin clearing her throat when they reached it. "I think Kakashi and I will be going now," Rin smiled nervously at her sensei.

"But what about Kushina? You still haven't let me know what's wrong with her!"

"She'll let you know herself. Now come on Kakashi, we need to get home." Rin then proceeded to drag her confused friend out the door, smiling and waving at the remaining two adults in the room.

As the two teens exited through the back, both noticed the wary body language of the ANBU guards. "Oh calm down, no one's coming after you," Rin notified them.

"What did you tell them to make them so scared?" Kakashi asked once they were back on the streets.

"I may have mentioned something about you and sensei pummelling them into the ground."

"That's not like you."

"I was in a hurry and they wouldn't let me through because they still wanted an answer for that date. Death threats seemed to be the only effective form of persuasive communication."

"I see. And why were you in such a hurry?"

"I had to get some test to Kushina."

"What do you mean? You figured out what's wrong with her?"

"Yeah, and there's nothing wrong with her per se but…well it's complicated and it really isn't my place to say; I wouldn't want this news leaking out."

"Because of course I am the source of all gossip," Kakashi remarked sarcastically.

"Promise not to go ballistic or anything?"

"Promise."

"She's pregnant."

"I can see now how it wasn't your place to let sensei know and how you wouldn't want this news spreading."

"I just hope she tells him," Rin sighed.

"Why wouldn't she?"

"I think she's scared to."

* * *

Meanwhile, Minato was having a difficult time coaxing out the diagnosis from Kushina.

"Kushina," he pleaded for the umpteenth time, "tell me please."

"No," she persisted stubbornly.

"You have to tell me what's wrong! If not, I'm going to be the Hokage known best for dying at an early age; you're increasing my blood pressure here!"

"Calm down Minato, it's not something that will kill me."

"Thank god," he sighed, stopping his incessant pacing to sit down on the couch next to her. Minato took her hand in his. "Why can't you tell me then?"

She tugged her hand free, looking in the other direction. "It's just…this is going to sound stupid, but you may not like me anymore."

"Not like you anymore? You're right; that does sound stupid. What does this have to do with me liking you anyway?"

"Promise me you won't hate me?" She asked, looking up at him with sad eyes.

Minato stared back at her, torn between feeling guilty and feeling angry. Hate her? How could she even think of such a thing? Didn't she already know how much he loved her; how it was impossible for him to even think of hating her for one second? Apparently she didn't, otherwise she wouldn't have feared his reaction. As he saw her unusually sad eyes, he felt so guilty, so helpless. It seemed that no matter how strong he was there was nothing his strength could do to get rid of that sadness. Except maybe… "I promise. I could never hate you."

"You better keep your promise," Kushina answered shakily. After a few moments in silence, she shook her head and stood up. "Ok, I'm going to tell you."

Minato nodded, still staring at her, watching every fluid motion she made as she paced the length of the floorboards like he previously had. He saw as she bit her lip hard, a habit he'd learned helped her to concentrate in difficult situations, and then he let his shoulders sink down a little as he noticed the fire come back in her eyes. Her royal blue orbs never seemed complete without that determination, that drive, that passion behind them.

"Minato," she declared, "I'm pregnant."

"You're what?" he asked incredulously.

"I'm pregnant."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Rin went out and got me a test; it came out positive." She confirmed for him, and then tentatively added in another tone of voice, "You don't hate me right? You can't; you promised."

At this point, Minato couldn't take her sadness any longer so he lifted himself from the couch, strode toward her, and captured her in a tight embrace. "No, of course I don't hate you. Hate you? Hate you? Woman, you're crazy! How could I ever hate you?"

She laughed lightly yet still shakily at his words. "I'm not crazy! I don't know; with all your duties as Hokage and everything, I feared that this was just going to be a burden to you."

"A burden? Now you're really talking crazy!" He removed his arms from around her, taking his hands and placing them on her face. "Look at me," he commanded, and she complied. "If you don't already know this, get it through your head now. I will _never_, _ever_, hate you. You bring me too much happiness for me to ever even think of hating you. I love you; there is nothing in my life right now that matters as much to me as your safety and happiness. Not the village's safety, not this war, not even my duties matter as much, though it may sometimes seem like I'm siding with someone else. Trust me though; there is nothing that matters to me as much as you. Without you, I'd probably still be that hot genius kid with no soul."

By the time he was finished with his uncharacteristically mushy declaration, Kushina was glad that he was holding her upright; otherwise she would have fallen to the floor laughing. It wasn't that she didn't find his declaration incredibly sweet and adorable, but rather the fact that he was saying anything like this at all was so unlike him that it was nearly laughable. "Oh Minato!" She punched him in the gut and then embraced him back. "You're such a sap! Haha, it's hilarious! 'Hot genius kid with no soul'? Haha!"

She lifted her chin off his shoulder to face him again. "So, you sure you're ok with me being pregnant?"

"Ok with it? I think it's great!"

"Well, even if you don't think it's great, you can't get out of it now," she teased.

Minato kissed the top of her head. "I wouldn't even dare try." He then beamed down at her. "Let's just hope that, boy or girl, the kid has your hair and not mine!"

She ran her hand through his blond mess of hair, getting her hand caught. As she tried to retract it from his hair in vain, she laughed, "Yes, let's at least hope for that! The kid can have one eye or three hands, but please don't let it have your hair!"

* * *

_**Author's Note:**__ That's all for this time ladies and gentlemen; I hope that you enjoyed this 7,000+ word piece of work! Thank you to all those who reviewed chapter 11 (won't list you by penname because there may be more reviews coming)! _

_As for the __**chapterly challenge**__: I will not divulge the previous chapter's answer because, as I said, this update has come fairly quickly and thus, it would be unfair to leave out the chance for those other people who actually had things to do this past weekend. I will however, provide you with this week's challenge, and those reviewing chapter 11 will just have to answer two challenges! Alright, this week's challenge has almost nothing to do with your vocabulary; it has to do with Latin! Inspired from an idea mentioned in this chapter, your chapterly challenge is to – __**without the use of the internet – translate this famous phrase into English: Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.**__ Hint: You may want to use your lovely English teacher's help for this one; they will probably know it! ;) Especially if you've done any poetry!_

_Also, standings will be updated and posted in chapter 13. __**Since I have updated so quickly this week, I cannot guarantee that I will update this weekend! (i.e., I have no idea what I'm doing for chapter 13.)**__ It may be later on next week that I provide you with chapter 13._


	13. Blackout

_**Author's Note:**__ Alright everyone, after six days, I have managed to finally finish the 13__th__ chapter of LA. I apologize in advance if this chapter seems more mediocre than the rest, but I have been distracted and preoccupied with other matters this week. Hope you still manage to enjoy it!_

Disclaimer: I do _not_ own Naruto.

* * *

_-  
__Tell me if I'm going crazy  
But everything you said amazed me  
It seems too easy on the ear  
To be something I should adhere to  
You told me to just simply wander  
Rather than take shelter under  
And open my heart to the thought that  
Life is something you're not caught at._

_- Warmer Climate by Snow Patrol_

Rain mixed with hail beat down in torrents on the village of Konoha. The rain combined with the high winds kept most of the village's inhabitants indoors; Kakashi and Rin seemed to be no exception to this rule.

Due to a temporary change in shifts – an older nurse had offered Rin a morning position – Rin was able to stay cosily in her current home and curl up under the covers. After she'd taken a nap that had lasted until four PM, she decided to begin making dinner. Kakashi had still not come home from his relatively short mission, but Rin knew that he was supposed to be home in a few hours. Nearly one hour passed before Rin was finished cooking the eggplant stew – his now favourite food to eat ever since he'd had it at Minato's – and she was about to set it on the table when, all of a sudden, the lights in the apartment went out.

Rin yelped in surprise and fumbled back to the kitchen, trying to open drawers and find some candles to provide her with light. She knew that it was probably a miracle if she'd find candles in the apartment – Kakashi once told her that he did not keep any due to the fact that they irritated his sensitive nose – but she still kept on rummaging.

The only interruption she had was when she heard the window slide open, and then, moments later, heard someone jump inside. She froze and let go of the handle on one of the top cupboards. Swiftly and silently as possible, she made her way further into the kitchen, hoping the shadows and darkness would conceal her from the sight of a potential enemy.

Much to her trepidation, the "enemy" headed straight for her, carefully pacing in her direction. All Rin could make out from the darkness was that the intruder was a tall and well-built male; from the looks of it, he would have no trouble in overpowering Rin if need be. As he inched ever closer to where she stood, Rin pressed herself further against the wall, hoping that whoever he was, he'd find what he was looking for and then leave. But what if he wasn't looking for something? What if it was some enemy Kakashi had made that was waiting for him to come home and attack him? Could she really let that just happen?

All fear discarded, Rin decided that no, she wouldn't let her friend come home and be attacked by some stranger. Even though she wasn't that strong and specialized in healing, not killing, she knew that if she were to do the right thing, she at least had to try and get the intruder out. To fight was the only way to help at this point. _Besides,_ she thought, _Kakashi would have done the same for me. _Yes, another voice in her head argued, _but Kakashi could probably kill more than half the enemies he meets. _Nevertheless, Rin agreed more with the first voice and took it upon herself to make the first move. If the enemy hadn't seen her during his trip into the kitchenette, then she'd have the element of surprise and it would be in her advantage.

Rapidly, she charged at the intruder, lifting her leg up to perform a kick to his head. The intruder was obviously caught by surprise, as he just barely managed to catch her leg in time before it hit the side of his head. She jerked her leg in his hand, and he immediately let go. There was a brief pause before Rin charged again, this time with a few punches. The intruder, now aware of her presence, was able to catch her small fists in his own large hands, stopping the attack instantly. To counter, he gripped her fists tighter, and moved his hands up over his head, launching her in the direction of the dining room. Rin flew through the air, landing on her side harshly, skidding to a halt near the dining table. She sat up and rubbed her side painfully, muttering an "Ouch".

Apparently the intruder had heard her, for he gasped out a, "Rin?" Recognizing the voice immediately, Rin called out, "Kakashi?"

She heard him sigh. "Yeah, it's me." He moved back temporarily into the kitchenette and a few seconds later, he emerged, flashlight in hand.

When he shone it on her and noticed that she was still on the ground, holding her side in pain, his eye widened in horror and a flood of guilt ran through him.

"Are you ok?"

"I've been better," she replied, wincing.

"I'm so sorry," he apologized, holding out his free hand – the one that wasn't holding the flashlight – to help her up.

She took it gratefully and half-limped over to one of the dining chairs, sitting herself in it. "Don't be. It's my fault. I was the one who attacked you."

"Why did you attack me? What were you thinking?" he demanded.

"I- The lights went out and then I heard someone come in through the window. I thought it was an intruder – I thought someone had come to wait for you and attack you. I hid in the shadows at first –"

" – Which is where you should have stayed," he cut her off, scolding her. "Even if it was an enemy waiting for me, you shouldn't just go into a fight blindly and attack him! You could be hurt, or killed! Why don't you think?! Never do something that reckless again."

"What was I supposed to do if it was an enemy? Hide in the shadows like a coward and wait for him to kill you?" she retorted angrily.

"If it would have kept you safe, yes that's exactly what you should have done! I can handle myself Rin; there's no need to risk your safety to protect me."

"In case you haven't noticed Kakashi, I can handle myself too," she snarled.

"Like you handled yourself when I lifted you five feet and threw you to the ground?" He threw her a look. "Don't be so reckless next time; have some consideration for others' feelings."

She shot him a quick glare, too angered to even think up a coherent retort, then crossed her arms and turned away from him, glaring at the wall opposite her.

He just sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair and leaning his head on the top of his chair. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"Save it Kakashi," she told him firmly, getting up out of the chair so quickly it made his head spin, and limping off to the washroom.

Once Rin had finished healing herself, she walked back into the main room and found him in the same position she'd left him. She had no idea why, but as she saw him on the chair, she felt a surge of sympathy flow through her, dissolving the anger that was previously in her stomach. She understood the guilt he must be feeling; he had "broken" his promise to his best friend today. He had promised to protect her, and yet, unknowingly, he had hurled her to the ground. Deciding to cut Kakashi some slack, Rin took the flashlight off the table and headed into the kitchenette. Her large bowl of eggplant stew was still perched on the counter where she'd left it, and grabbing a few plates, she headed back to the dining table, food in arms.

Kakashi lifted his head off the top of his chair, as he smelt the food, getting up to help her set the table. Silence engulfed them as they ate – mainly because Kakashi's mouth was too full to speak – and the uncomfortable atmosphere they had been in seemed to seep back in. As soon as Kakashi had finished filling his stomach, swallowing the last piece of bread with stew on it, he tried once more to fix the situation. The guilt was eating away at him, drilling an ulcer-like hole into his stomach.

"I'm sorry," he tried to apologize again.

"It's ok," she smiled weakly up at him. Then she noticed that the whole time, neither of them had asked one of the most important questions. "Hey Kakashi?"

"Hmm?"

"Why did the electricity go out?"

"I don't know," he admitted.

"Want to go find out? I'm sure that it must be something with the electrical box. The landlord can probably fix it."

"Uh sure," he agreed, taking the flashlight off the table. "Let's go."

They headed out their door onto the balcony like stairs. Even though the stairs were outside, neither of the two seemed to notice that none of the other homes in Konoha had lights either. "Why is it so dark?" Rin questioned, falling into step with Kakashi.

"It's six, Rin and it's winter. It's supposed to be dark."

"I know it's winter. But it's nice today; it's not cold at all."

Kakashi nodded in agreement; he'd noticed the change in temperature for today as well. It must have been in the double digits for neither of them had taken a jacket and neither of them was cold.

They continued their trek down the stairs, and after a few minutes, found their landlord's apartment. Kakashi knocked lightly on the door, and a few moments later, an old woman emerged.

"What you want Hatake?! Why you knock on my door? You think I am customer service or something? Open all hours of the night! Feh, you teenagers have no respect!"

Kakashi was about to make some remark about how it was not night yet and the senile old woman had probably not noticed that the building was without power, when Rin emerged from behind him and spoke.

"Sorry Miyako-san for disturbing you," Rin bowed to the elderly woman who was the landlord, "but the electricity in our apartment has gone out and we were wondering if you could do anything about it."

"Rin!" the elderly woman called a little more cheerfully to the girl, "I am sorry, but there is nothing I can do. I may not be electrician, but I have checked electric box and nothing's happened. It is good to see you again though. You're with Hatake now? You'd do good to teach this boy some manners!" She smacked Kakashi on the head with her hand. "Such rude boy, I cannot believe it!"

Kakashi was about to tell the old woman just what he thought of her and where she could stick next month's rent, when Rin interrupted again. "I will, I will," she laughed cheerfully, "Give me a week and you'll have nothing less than a perfect tenant from him!" Rin slapped Kakashi's shoulder good-naturedly for emphasis.

"You are godsend Rin," Miyako chirped, "You are gift! I would like to help with electricity problem, but it is not my fault! We seem to have blackout all over village!"

Rin and Kakashi exchanged glances before turning around and seeing that indeed the woman was right. No light appeared in any Konoha home and a storm was clearly brewing over the Hokage Mountain and others in the distance. Rin turned back to Miyako, thanking her and bidding her good night. As she bowed to the older woman, one of her hands hit Kakashi's spine and soon enough, he was bowing as well, though not entirely voluntarily.

"Rin, you work magic with this boy! He has never bowed!"

"Good night Miyako-san, we hope you sleep well."

"Good night Rin," the woman replied. She then turned to Kakashi. "Hatake, you may not be hopeless after all!"

Kakashi gave a small snort of indignation but remained bowing until the woman shut the door in both their faces. "Senile old woman," he muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Rin asked, her tone warning him.

"I asked, what are we going to do now," he responded, his face pleasant. He didn't need to get into even more trouble with Rin today than he already had.

"Oh! That's a good question…well, there's a storm outside," she grinned up at him.

"So?"

"So?! Don't tell me you've never watched a storm before!" she stared at him incredulously.

"Why would you watch a storm? That's so stupid."

"No, you're stupid. It's dark inside anyway. What do you propose we do…in the dark?"

Now Rin had said that entirely innocently – and even a little angrily – and with no ulterior intentions in mind, but unfortunately, Kakashi's mind was not on the same wavelength. Heat rushed up to his face as he caught some hidden meaning that wasn't there; damn his mind – he had to blame this on the fact that his curiosity had caused him to open up an Icha Icha Paradise book that he'd seen on his sensei's desk one time. So this was how Obito felt, only to a much lesser degree.

To add to his humiliation, Rin seemed to have noticed the pink tinges that were on his cheeks, for she placed a cold hand on his forehead, wondering out loud whether he'd contracted some strange virus on his missions.

He swatted her hand away immediately, claiming that there was nothing wrong with him. "Let's just go watch the storm," he suggested, wanting to get away from the embarrassing air – for him – of the situation.

Rin happily agreed and raced up the stairs almost blindly, excited to start watching the storm. No flashlight was needed for guidance as the storm produced bolts of lightning, which illuminated the entire apartment complex. Kakashi, much too tired to waste his energy racing up stairs, walked calmly behind her.

As soon as he had reached the top stair at the foot of his apartment, he noticed that two of his chairs had been placed out in front, along with both blankets. Rin emerged mere moments later as well, carrying what he recognized as a tub of ice-cream.

"Hey Kakashi, come on! The show's about to start!" she remarked as soon as she noticed him.

He nodded and took a seat in his chair on the left, pulling his blanket around his shoulders. Rin followed his example, seating herself comfortably before sticking one of the silver spoons into the tub of ice-cream.

"Want some?" she asked through a mouthful.

Kakashi initially seemed quite wary of the delicious frozen dessert, but took his spoon and dug in nevertheless. "Hey, you're a girl."

Rin threw him a look. "Oh bravo Kakashi, that's a really brilliant observation," she mock applauded. "So?"

"So…aren't most girls supposed to be wary of ice-cream because they don't want to get fat or something?"

She snorted. "Trust me, I am in no danger of becoming obese. Besides, do I seem like most girls?" Just as Kakashi was about to open his mouth and answer, Rin shut him up with a, "Don't actually answer that." She then turned back to watching the mountains, amazed at the storm that was brewing on the horizon line.

Kakashi followed suit, and was also captivated by the colourful, sudden bolts of lightning that attacked the mountains viciously like an enemy with a kunai. Just when he would think he'd seen all the possible lightning bolts, a new one would appear, either different in shape or colour. The pair continued to stare, entranced, at the storm, not even looking away to hand back and forth the tub of ice-cream; all motions they made were unconscious to the point where they were almost mechanical.

They continued in this fashion until Rin piped up. "I love lightning. Everything about it is just so magical. The beauty of its colours, and the rhythm of its follower, the thunder. Makes you believe that maybe there's some good out there; that maybe, there really is some higher power."

Kakashi looked at her. "I don't know if I buy into that whole higher power stuff. I mean, what with all the war and death and tragedy, it's hard to. Even if there was a god…he left here long ago."

She looked back at him, eyes alight with hope; the lightning reflecting in her violet orbs. "Konoha will be great again," she told him, and she'd said it with such certainty, such conviction, that he almost believed her. Almost.

"Maybe."

"Oh come on Kakashi! You've got to believe, to have faith in something! Maybe not a god, because I'm not even sure one exists, but you've got to have faith in something good!"

"I…not really."

"You don't believe in good things? In good people?"

"What good people? People are selfish and evil, and generally useless. What good is there in a creature like that?"

Her eyes turned sympathetic as his eyes hardened and glazed over in thought. "Not all people are like that Kakashi. There are such things as miracles, you know? I see them everyday at the hospital."

He snorted in disbelief. "Well, it's a good thing that they exist, because Konoha's going to need a miracle to win this war. We're all going to need a miracle to survive."

"Well, if we lose then I'll believe you. But until then, you've just got to have faith. How much hopelessness and despair we feel depends greatly on our dispositions and not as much on our circumstances."

"That's a positive outlook."

"There's always a positive to everything. To survive, you've got to find the positives in a negative situation…" She trailed off softly in a pensive tone.

"Alright, so if you believe in this positive stuff…what's the positive to war?"

"You get to see who your real friends are."

Kakashi nearly shut up; he'd been so taken aback by her response. It was definitely not one he'd expected or even thought about, yet it seemed to fit. Whenever they engaged in one of these meaningful conversations – which were most definitely not often – she always said something that caught him completely off guard and surprised him to the fullest extent of the word. He had just one more question though.

"What's the positive to death?"

"Death isn't really a situation, it's a state."

"Fine then. Dying."

"Dying is sort of a state too…but I guess it would be eternal peace. If you're dying, you'll most likely be dead soon-"

"Unless someone saves you," he interjected.

"-Unless someone saves you – and if you're dead, that means you'll be at peace, right?"

"I don't know…do you really think that in their dying moments, people think about how at peace they are? Wouldn't you be thinking that you wanted to be alive longer; wouldn't you think about all those you'd miss, all your regrets?"

"Not if you lived your full life. If you lived your life the way you wanted to, then you should be at peace. Though, I guess I'm not that accurate of a source. I've never died."

"Me neither."

Rin stuck her spoon into the tub of ice-cream only to find that the contents were all gone. She looked back up to the horizon only to see that the lightning storm had ended, and now there were only dark, eerie clouds that still loomed over the village. She gave an involuntary shiver at their malevolent appearance, and wrapped the blanket tighter around her shoulders, standing up. "Let's go back in, it's getting creepy out here."

Kakashi agreed and helped by bringing the furniture back indoors. Despite the fact that it was only around nine PM, darkness hung around, casting frightening shadows on everything and shrouding the world in black. Determined not to think about it too intently, Kakashi prepared for bed and shut his eyes, attempting to sleep.

Rin sat herself in one of the chairs, her blanket still wrapped around her. Lost in thought about the conversation that had just occurred, she realized, at least subconsciously, that she was terribly uncertain about what she'd said and she knew that all she could do was hope. As a gloomy drowsiness overtook her, her eyelids shut and her elbows – which had been propping her head up – buckled under the weight of her head, allowing for her to fall asleep at the table.

Wishes and hopes for a better tomorrow in both their minds, the pair drifted off to dreamland, where a better world would await them and take hold for the next few hours.

When all of Konoha awoke the next morning, the ominous darkness was still upon them.

* * *

_**Author's Note:** That is all for chapter 13 everyone! I hope that you have enjoyed it more than I have writing it, and once more, I apologize if it seemed less well written than chapter 12. Thank you to all of chapter 12's reviewers: __**chibirain94, catgirl9696, snappa, Hikari Minamoto, ninbunny alchemist, Piccylo, Sakra-chan, JoiZ. D, and rileyonline.**_

_Chapterly Challenge: Ok, first off, congratulations to those who managed to get chapter 12's answer as well as chapter 11's. _

_Without further ado, here are the answers for 11 and 12 as well as the current standings._

_**Answer 11: You can't teach an old dog new tricks.**_

_**Answer 12: It is sweet and fitting to die for one's country.**_

_**Standings:**_

_**Chibirain94 **__– 10_

_**Catgirl9696**__ – 10_

_**Sakra-chan**__ – 11_

_**Snappa**__ – 19_

_**Hikari Minamoto **__– 15_

_**EndDragon**__ – 5_

_**Piccylo**__ – 5_

_**JoiZ. D**__ – 10_

_**Sachie-chan11**__ – 2_

_Please let me know if I got the standings wrong or if your name should be up there and it's not! Either way, for this week's challenge, we have another Latin phrase: **Aut viam inveniam aut faciam.** Good luck everyone! _

_Also, I am going to take a survey. **I was thinking of doing the next few chapters in Rin and Kakashi's seperate POVs instead of the general narrator POV. Are you for or against? Please give your most honest answer; I do not offend easily and saying no definitely would not offend me.** I am asking you, the reader, what you would like, so this is your chance to let me know!_


	14. Obito's Birthday

_**Author's Note**__: Finally, after much anticipation on my behalf, I have managed to get the first of my four (approx.) sort of climatic chapters out! Whoot! (is filled with pride) Hope you all enjoy!_

Disclaimer: I do _not_ own Naruto.

* * *

--

_Light up, Light up_

_As if you have a choice_

_Even if you cannot hear my voice,_

_I'll be right beside you dear._

_- Run by Snow Patrol_

--

The next morning, Kakashi woke up to find Rin still asleep on the table. He glanced over at her, deciding whether to wake her or let her sleep. He sighed and opted for the latter, leaving a note telling her of his one-day mission. He hoped that she'd sleep as much as possible; she needed to live as little of this particular day as she could.

-

When Kakashi had come back home in the later hours of the afternoon, he'd cursed, realizing that in his haste to leave in the morning, he had forgotten to take his keys. He grimaced, remembering what had happened the last time he'd entered through the windows. Maybe today he could get away with it though. Maybe today Rin wouldn't notice. _Maybe she's still asleep_, he thought hopefully.

As he slid open the window carefully, perched himself precariously on the sill, and jumped down, he found that this was not the case. The moment he had set his feet on the hardwood flooring, Rin all but flew in his direction. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, staring up at him with hard eyes.

"I forgot my keys," he told her, smiling apologetically.

"Does that mean you can't use a door like normal people? Does that mean you can't knock? Are you _trying_ to give me a heart attack? "

"I thought you were sleeping. I didn't want to wake you," he defended.

"Sleeping at six?" Rin scoffed. "Yeah, right." Rolling her eyes at him, she turned away and stalked off to the corner she'd previously been in.

"What bit you?" Kakashi asked, not in the greatest of moods either. He didn't wait for the response that he knew wouldn't come; he simply walked into the washroom and shut the door behind him. When he emerged minutes later, clean as a whistle, he found Rin still huddled in the northeast corner of the room. She sat with her knees drawn up to her chest, arms folded around her knees, staring blankly at the floor in front of her. She didn't even look up to acknowledge his presence; in fact, the only way he knew that she was still conscious of it was that she spoke to him.

"You know what day it is today," she said tonelessly. It was a statement, not a question.

He nodded and moved to sit beside her. "Yes."

The room was silent for a while, neither really wanting to relive the painful day their lives had been changed forever, the day they'd lost their best friend. "What did you do today?" Kakashi inquired out of mild curiosity and a desire to suppress the overwhelming memories that were flowing into the forefront of his thoughts.

"Worked, bought some groceries; nothing too special," she replied in that same toneless voice lightly coated in agony, the same toneless voice that scared him. "You?"

"I was on a mission," he matched the tone of her voice, concealing any worry.

"Did you go visit _him_ yet?" When she spoke this time, her voice shook and her eyes were shut tightly.

"No, not yet. Did you?"

"No…I have a cake in the fridge…we should go together…I think _he'd_ like that…"

Kakashi nodded absent-mindedly. "Ok."

"We're horrible people!" Rin suddenly cried out, startling Kakashi.

"No…no, we're not. You're not," Kakashi tried to assure her as soon as he'd recovered from the shock at her outburst, finding himself suddenly absorbed with hopelessness as he watched her put her face in her hands.

"We are! We are! He was our friend and we – we…how could we? It doesn't make sense! Friends don't do this to each other! We left him there, all by himself! He was _dying_, _dying _Kakashi, and we just left him!"

"We didn't have a choice…we would have been killed…" He tried to hide the shakiness of his own voice. The words he spoke came out sounding as more of an assurance to himself than to her. Selfish as it was, he didn't really want to relive the pain he'd felt when Obito gave his life in order to save them.

All the remaining members of the now broken Team Seven had just barely managed to heal, and now their wounds were callously torn open again, bleeding and raw for the world to see. Kakashi knew that it was right for him to feel pain; after all, he had caused the death of his comrade, his best friend. If he had only listened to Obito, maybe the entire team would still be alive, still going out on missions. Kakashi knew it was right for him to feel pain, but he didn't think it was right for her. She had done nothing, she'd been innocent throughout this entire process; it didn't seem fair that she too had to suffer. Chalk up the reason behind another one of her sufferings to his idiocy.

"Can you imagine how scared he must have been?" Rin's horrified voice snapped Kakashi out of his thoughts. "Oh god…he must have been so terrified…he had to die all alone; he had to die without any comfort!" She reached towards Kakashi's face, in the direction of the Sharingan. She lay her fingers on top of the hitai-ate that now covered it, and stroked it preciously, as if she believed that that one eye was the only mark left of his existence, the only thing that still kept the connection between this world and the heavens her teammate was in. "I'm sorry Obito!" Rin called out in Kakashi's direction, her fingers still on the part of his hitai-ate that covered the Sharingan, her eyes glistening with unspoken sorrow.

Kakashi's right eye looked towards the ground, uncomfortable. He didn't want to move – he could feel that she needed to do this – but at the same time, her sorrow and blatant display of emotion brought him discomfort and a little bit of awkwardness because he wasn't sure what he could do to stop it.

He closed his eyes and let her do what she needed to while he thought of what he could do. To comfort someone had never really been a keen instinct of his and thus, whenever he needed to comfort or console, the words 'What Would Obito Do?' emblazoned themselves in his mind, resting in their place until he figured out an answer. Those were the words he now saw as his right eye closed. Obito had always been the one with more talent when it came to dealing with an apathetic or emotional Rin.

Doing the only thing he could think of, Kakashi lifted up his hitai-ate and revealed his Sharingan eye.

"Obito…" Rin's fingers recoiled for a moment, and Kakashi sighed in relief, but the relief was short lived as she moved her fingers down to the space under his eye.

He shivered at the coolness of her touch before realizing that she had called him by the wrong name. Kakashi sighed as he discovered that she'd most likely given in to a temporary moment of delusion and thought that he was now Obito. Again he let her do as she pleased, twitching only slightly when she shuffled closer and wrapped her arms around his neck. Kakashi stared to the side, trying to block out the background noise of her sobs of "Obito!…" and the feeling of her cold skin as her face nuzzled the space in between his shoulder and neck.

She must have realized that it was actually him she was hugging and not Obito for she gasped and pulled away rather quickly, her eyes wide with shock. Embarrassment and guilt catching up with the erratic beating of her heart, Rin looked down and muttered, "Sorry," before turning away and reassuming her position against the wall.

Kakashi, not having any words of comfort or assurance, or just words that would not make the situation more awkward for him than necessary, remained silent. The silence allowed their thoughts to consume them, and soon enough, both were near tears.

For Kakashi, the Sharingan was the only eye that ever cried. No matter how he tried, no matter what happened, he just could not bring his original eye to shed even one tear. Despite the guilt and sorrow he was feeling push down on his chest, the pressure collapsing his lungs and taking all air from him, his face remained impassive, as though it had just been some stranger he'd never really known that they were mourning. In truth, he hadn't really known Obito. He'd written the boy off, thinking him to be useless and incompetent. How wrong Kakashi had been; if only he'd realized that Obito was right all along, maybe then…There was no use thinking about it now, the past could not be changed.

Beside him, Rin sat, her eyes focused on the ground that was the furthest away from him. Small waves of guilt and self-hatred bubbled within her insides, making her feel sick to her stomach. There were only two days that did this to her: the day of Obito's actual death and the day of Obito's birthday. Both days brought an onslaught of terrifying memories to her and no matter how she would try, there was nothing that could quell the pain that seemed to bubble forth in her stomach and swell to fill her entire chest and abdomen area. Days like today made her feel guilty; guilty that she was living and Obito was not, guilty that she had a future, guilty that she still didn't love him, no matter how much she wanted to. "He loved me," she whispered to no one, her eyes widening as though she'd just comprehended this information for the first time.

"He loved me," Rin said it louder and with more urgency. "I can't believe it. He loved me and all I did was let him down. He loved me, and I couldn't even save him, I couldn't even give that much back in return."

She turned her head back towards Kakashi's face, her eyes lit up with wonder as though she'd just had the greatest epiphany. "He loved me," she whispered incredulously, "Did you know that Kakashi?" Mild confusion registered itself on her face, as though she couldn't even understand what she was saying, as though the words she spoke were foreign to her and had no coherent meaning.

"Yeah."

"He loved me, and I couldn't save him…I couldn't save him…Forgive me Obito…"

Kakashi snapped his head up to get a better look at her. Dishevelled was the word that would probably sum up her appearance. Dishevelled and distraught. To say that it didn't upset him to see her like that would be a lie, but he felt that Obito – who was most likely seeing what was going on through the Sharingan – was much more upset than he was, judging by the way his Sharingan eye stung with tears.

In an attempt to bring comfort to both Rin and Obito at the same time, Kakashi took his left hand and gently placed it over hers. Feeling the light pressure on her hand, Rin looked up and smiled uneasily at him, and slid her hand out from under his. "I know you're trying to make me feel better, but not today, ok Kakashi? I can't be close to you today," she shifted more to the left, away from him.

Kakashi nodded and moved his hand back to his side.

"I'm sorry, but it feels like I'm betraying him…"

"Betraying him? How?"

"It feels like I'm hurting Obito…because…"

"Because?" Kakashi prodded. He hadn't been all that interested until she mentioned that it had to do with Obito.

"Because," Rin's voice started out as a whisper and crescendoed to nearly a shout, "Because it makes me think I still li – " Her voice came back down. "Forget it. It doesn't matter."

Kakashi didn't want to just "forget it". He wanted to know, but curious as he was, even he knew when it was better to just let something go. He could always prod her about it later, but now – now she deserved a break. Her mind was probably working itself into overtime, consuming her with thoughts of Obito and his death.

"Sorry, I'll let it drop. You don't have to tell me," Kakashi said.

"That's nice of you, thank you."

A few moments of quiet passed until Kakashi got an idea. "Hey, you know something?"

"I know many things, but that's besides the point," she stared blankly up at him. "What is it?"

"We shouldn't spend so much of our time thinking about the bad memories with him. Maybe on the day he died…but Obito would have wanted us to think of him fondly, especially on his birthday."

"How would you know what he wanted?! You knew nothing about him!" Rin's sudden outburst surprised both him and herself. She watched as Kakashi's eyes hardened and his jaw clenched. Her face donned a look of shock and mild horrification, her hands placing themselves over her now open mouth. "I – I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. Please, continue."

He paused, reluctant to voice his idea after hearing her outburst. "…Well, don't you have any good memories with Obito?" he questioned.

"Of course I do."

"Then maybe you should think of those – it won't make you feel any better that he's gone, but you shouldn't have to think only of bad things when you remember him."

"Well, there are a few," Rin's face held a ghost of a smile as she began to recall positive memories about her deceased best friend.

"Mhm," Kakashi murmured, and she took this as a sign to continue speaking out loud.

"Ever since we were little, I would always spend Valentine's with Obito. No matter what year, it always seemed that his birthday coincided with a mission or training, so Valentine's was sort of the make-up birthday for him. Of course, I never really figured out why he was so happy to keep this tradition…Either way, it was a day that we just spent together – as friends – and it was also a day to exchange gifts."

"Exchange? But I thought it was a make-up day for his birthday…?"

"It was, but he insisted that since it was Valentine's Day, that he give me something in return. When we were younger, and he was still chronically late, he'd usually just give me some flower he picked up on the way. Then, as he got older the gifts got a little more thoughtful and a little more extravagant. My favourite was last years' though…oh it was so sweet!" Rin told Kakashi, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks.

"How extravagant was it?" He raised an eyebrow sceptically.

"That's the beauty of it; it wasn't extravagant at all! It was so thoughtful and wonderful," she gushed, a wide smile making its way onto her face, "He started the process about two weeks before he actually gave me the gift. He'd randomly ask what songs I liked – really specific songs too. Then, after about a week of that, he kind of broke off all communication with me – the only time we really got a chance to talk was during training or missions and even then he'd make it a goal to minimize the conversation. Of course I noticed this change, and it bothered me a little, but I figured it would pass. It didn't. Needless to say, I was pretty upset and I was seriously considering not spending Valentine's with Obito, even though it was technically tradition. You can imagine my surprise when, come Valentine's, Obito showed up at my house with a gift. I just sort of stood there in the front door waiting for some sort of apology from him for his behaviour, and being Obito, he gave it to me, then handed me the gift and told me not to open it until the evening."

"So, what was it?"

"Hang on," she chided, "I'm getting there. As I was saying, he told me not to open it until the evening time and I complied. We spent the day together as per usual, doing various things from eating lunch at Ichiraku's to just walking around talking. When I finally got home that night, I opened my gift eagerly and found that it was a CD player. It was sort of weird, because I already had one, but it didn't really matter to me."

"How is that thoughtful?"

"I'm getting to it! It would not kill you to have a little patience, Kakashi!" Rin sighed and then continued on. "I pulled out one of my favourite CDs and was about to put it in my new CD player, when I noticed that there was a CD in there already. Obviously curious, I put my new headphones on and pressed play. What came out next was just…" She sighed again, but this time happily. "It still tugs at my heartstrings. It was Obito's voice singing ALL my favourite songs. There were about 24 tracks or something like that, and even though Obito wasn't a great singer – he wasn't bad, he was just ok – I stayed up listening to all of them. It was so sweet…I may not have been in love with Obito - " She paused as her breath hitched when she confessed that out loud, "- but that night, I was pretty close to it. Oh god…I don't think I'll ever forget that gift; I still have it somewhere." Finishing her story, Rin stood up and rummaged through her rucksack, heading back over as she found the object she was looking for.

Cradling it to her chest, she looked back between the player and Kakashi. Rin had always considered the gift a bit more of a personal one, and so she wasn't entirely sure if Kakashi should be privy to its contents, yet a part of her was keen on showing it to him. She had just spent the last five minutes gushing over the thoughtfulness of the gift and how she adored it; it would be very difficult for him to get over his curiosity and she was almost sure that if she wouldn't show it to him, then Kakashi would take matters into his own hands and hold her CD player hostage one afternoon while she worked at the hospital. Not wanting that to happen, Rin set the player on the floor, and handed Kakashi an ear bud. "Here, listen."

She stuck the right ear bud in her ear while Kakashi put the left in his. Rin hit play, and then a very Karaoke voice came through. Kakashi listened as Obito sang a few songs – ranging from love songs to happy songs to meaningful ones. Even though the voice was not great sounding, Kakashi had to admit – Obito could probably have made a living as a singer.

After the first five songs, Rin hit pause and looked up at Kakashi, her eyes shining happily. "Wasn't that great? Come on Kakashi, even you have to admit; that was pretty darn cute."

"I wouldn't choose cute as my first word, but it was thoughtful, yes."

"Ooh," Rin teased, "someone sounds jealous! Don't worry Kakashi; I'll make you a mix tape of me singing cheesy karaoke versions of your favourite songs," she grinned up at him, and for a moment he wasn't sure if she was joking or not.

He felt his body temperature slightly increase and he rubbed his hands down the sides of his pant legs, attempting to rid them of the sweat they'd acquired in the last few seconds. He pushed all thoughts about the strangeness of this occurrence to the back of his mind, and concentrated on keeping Rin with the same level of complacency she seemed to now have.

"Feel better?" he asked, smiling a little.

"Yeah, a lot better, thanks Kakashi," Rin smiled appreciatively up at him and caught him in a light yet firm hug.

Completely caught off guard at her new demeanour, Kakashi could do nothing but offer an awkward hug back – he wasn't used to giving them and therefore had no idea of how a proper hug should be. "Uh, no problem," he answered back.

Pulling away, Rin smiled briefly at him once more, and then began wiping at her eyes. Kakashi noticed this and unconsciously shifted back a little. "Are you crying?" he asked.

"Yes, it's quite pathetic isn't it?" She laughed lightly. "I cry when I'm sad, I cry when I'm happy. I think I'll have spent a quarter of my life crying."

"So which one is it this time?"

"Excuse me?"

"Are you happy or sad?"

"A bit of both actually. I'm happy that I was able to remember these good times, but sad because I still miss Obito."

"Don't cry because it's over…" Kakashi began telling her.

"…Smile because it happened." Rin finished the old saying, wiping the last of her tears away.

"I don't think it's really over though."

"What do you mean?" She asked, puzzled.

"I think he's still with us," Kakashi told her, "Right beside us every step of the way. Even though we can't hear him – well, I can sometimes – he's still there for us, both of us. I think he wants us to know that."

"Yeah, that'd be nice. I think I feel him too sometimes – makes me wonder what I ever did to deserve such a good friend." Rin paused, furrowed her brows and realized what was wrong with what she had just said. "Correction: It makes me wonder what I ever did to deserve such good _friends_." She placed her hand on his arm as an appreciative gesture.

He looked down at it, then back up at her and snorted in disbelief. "Wonder what you did to deserve such good friends? If anyone should be wondering that, it's me!"

Rin was about to retort to his comment, when a loud _pop!_ was heard and an ANBU operative materialized in the room.

"Hatake-san," the ANBU's eyes scanned the small bedroom, looking for Kakashi.

"Yes?" Kakashi responded, and the ANBU's eyes fell on him.

The operative was surprised, to say the least, when he discovered Kakashi beside a young female who apparently had been crying prior to his arrival. "Hope I am not interrupting anything," the operative said, his eyes calculating the close distance between the female and Kakashi. "I can come back in a few minutes, if you'd like." Boy, was it ever awkward to be the junior messenger.

"It's fine," Kakashi told the young man, straightening up and taking on a new formal tone of voice. "What do you need?"

"Your presence is requested for a mission."

"Very well. When and where?"

"I really should not tell you until _she_ leaves," the operative tilted his head towards Rin.

"It's perfectly alright if she hears. Now tell me."

"You are to meet at the gates in two hours."

"Very well," Kakashi nodded, and glanced at Rin as he felt her apply more pressure to his forearm.

She glanced up at him briefly as well, before releasing his arm and turning to speak to the operative. "Next time, please have the courtesy to materialize yourself outside the door and knock before you enter. Thank you," she smiled lightly up at him.

The ANBU, not used to being addressed by those outside of the organization and definitely not this politely, nodded stiffly at Rin before disappearing.

Once the operative was gone, Rin turned back to Kakashi. "Are you really going?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I?"

"You just came back from a mission today though and you haven't even slept."

"It is my duty."

"The only _duty_ you have is to keep yourself healthy and alive," Rin retorted.

"You know I have to go. There is no point in arguing, it is futile."

Rin sighed heavily. How much worse could this day get? It had been going fairly well for about half an hour before the declaration of a new mission was given. It seemed wrong and dangerous for him to not only leave without having slept, but also on this particular day. She tried to hide the dread as she helped him gather his stuff and stick it into his rucksack, but the feeling did not leave even after Kakashi did.

After he walked out the door, she lingered in the doorway for a few moments, recalling the chat they'd had tonight. He had surprised her quite a bit by being so profound and calm about the whole thing, and she knew that he was quite possibly right about Obito watching over them. "If you are there with him Obito," she called to the heavens pleadingly, "please keep him safe. Sensei and Kushina too, keep all of them safe. I can't stand to lose another one."

Still, the dread did not pass; she was almost certain that something bad was going to happen, and there was nothing she could really do but hope that she was wrong and trust that Obito would protect them.

* * *

_**Author's Note:** So there it was, a little angst, a little happiness, a little bit of everything! Hope that satisfied everyone, because I was most definitely pleased with this chapter! Parts of it may be arguable to some, but then again, everything is. I guess it was a little easier to write about death and whatnot because there's been a recent death in my family. **Thank you to chapter 13's reviewers: chibirain94, Sakra-chan, Fiat Justitia, rileyonline, ninbunny alchemist, Piccylo, Girl Wonder 2005, Frog Lady, JoiZ. D, and catgirl9696!**_

**Chapterly Challenge:** Alright, not many of you got the last chapterly challenge, but the answer was **'I will either find a road or make one.'**

**Standings:**

_**Chibirain94 **__– 10_

_**Catgirl9696**__ – 10_

_**Sakra-chan**__ – 11_

_**Snappa**__ – 19_

_**Hikari Minamoto **__– 15_

_**EndDragon**__ – 5_

_**Piccylo**__ – 10_

_**JoiZ. D**__ – 10_

_**Sachie-chan11**__ – 2_

_**Fiat Justitia- **__5 _

_**Rileyonline – **__10 _

_As for this week's challenge, we're going back to English! __**The temperature of the aqueous content of an unremittingly ogled saucepan does not reach 212 degrees Fahrenheit**__. It's a well-known saying; so let me know which saying it is! Remember; __**use any resource except the Internet! **_


	15. Collapsing

_**Author's Note:** Hello again, everyone! First off, I would like to report that my disposition has cleared up and is now at its usual contentedness. I hope that all had a lovely week, and if not, then I hope that this chapter is a good conclusion to your tiring week. Furthermore, if anyone has read the most recent chapters of the manga and is interested in talking about them, I am more than willing! It's quite difficult to find someone who's all caught up! Those are all your announcements for this chapter; enjoy!_

Disclaimer: I do _not_ own Naruto.

* * *

Kakashi headed towards the gates of Konoha where he was to be debriefed on the latest mission. As he came closer to his destination, voices of the other operatives were heard.

"Hey did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"The new ANBU, the prodigy Hatake, was seen with a crying girl."

"Hatake was seen crying with a girl?"

"Hatake was seen crying like a girl?"

"Did you hear? Apparently Hatake was crying over a girl."

"No way! Hey man, Hatake cries like a little girl!"

"Hatake cries because he's a little girl?"

Hearing the ANBU version of a broken telephone conversation, Kakashi decided to make his presence known. "Yo," he greeted, "what does Hatake do?"

"Well, someone we know, a very reliable source, told us that Hatake was seen crying because he's actually a girl!"

Now that was the stupidest thing Kakashi had ever heard in his life. What the heck were these ANBU smoking?

"I'm crying because I'm a girl? _Real_ funny. Now, which one of you sissies would like to repeat that to my face?"

Although Kakashi was without a doubt the youngest of the juniors, and therefore treated with a little less respect, all the other juniors had heard of his reputation for being strong in combat and some had even witnessed it; they all knew that it was not a good thing for one's self to get the young Hatake angry. Knowing what was good for them, all the operatives remained silent until the leader came about as well to debrief them.

The debriefing was the same it had been for the last few weeks: go to the border, pair up, and fight with Earth. The group of juniors travelled for a couple of hours with their leader, until they reached the border.

Once split up, Kakashi was landed with a junior that was probably two or three years his senior, but whose maturity level did not seem to outweigh Kakashi's. "Hey," the older teenager greeted, "looks like we'll be working together."

"Looks like it," Kakashi agreed.

"So, what's your name?"

Kakashi stared at the other boy strangely. No one had ever bothered to ask his name before. He was Wolf, and that was all. No other name, no face to put to it. Just a mask and a title. It was a little weird to have someone wonder about his name. "Wolf," Kakashi answered. In a sense, it was true. When he was an ANBU that was what he was to be called.

The boy behind the Bird mask scoffed. "I mean your real name. Might as well get to know each other a little if we have to deal with each other for a week. My name is Kane Benjiro. What's yours?"

"Hatake Kakashi."

"Seriously? You're _the_ Hatake Kakashi? As in Hatake Sakumo's son?"

Kakashi froze upon hearing his father's name, and locked his eyes on Benjiro's mask, unsure of whether to be offended that he had been asked that or pleased. "Yes," Kakashi said through gritted teeth.

"Whoa, nice to meet you! I've waited so long for this day!"

_Ok, my creepy radar is going off._ "Uh…thanks."

Benjiro suddenly turned serious. "I just wanted you to know, I don't agree with everyone about your father. I think Hatake Sakumo-sama was a great shinobi, and an even greater person. He is a hero. Saving your comrade's lives, even though you know there's going to be serious consequences…that is a honourable shinobi, right there. The village were a bunch of idiots when they disgraced him."

Kakashi let out a breath he hadn't been aware that he'd been holding, but did not let his guard down. With all the strangeness radiating from his partner, who was to say that the man was not an Earth shinobi in disguise? Benjiro did not comport himself in the traditional ANBU fashion, and he didn't seem to understand that in an organization such as ANBU, all operatives were selected because of their adamant state towards the rules. This was not to say that Benjiro could not be both adamant about the rules and in agreement with Sakumo's values, but it did not seem likely.

With that said, the young men began to converse about various bland topics while scouring their area for any sign of trouble. While involved in a conversation about the war itself, a kunai appeared from out of nowhere, narrowly missing Benjiro's heart. Alert and prepared for battle, Kakashi and Benjiro perched themselves on opposite tree branches and readied themselves to defend.

A shinobi quickly emerged from the concealing foliage and positioned his/herself across from both ANBU operatives. All three became locked in a staring match, and for a few moments, the atmosphere was completely calm. It was only broken when, with a sudden leap, the enemy shinobi moved forward and threw out a few more kunai.

Kakashi and Benjiro avoided the kunai easily; they were, after all, Jounin. However, the shinobi had leaped so high into the air that neither boy could see his/her position, the bright morning sun blinding them. The enemy took opportunity of this advantage, and landed a sharp kick to the back of Benjiro's neck, throwing the older boy forward. With him down for the count, the enemy, now obviously a woman, advanced on Kakashi.

Forming a few hand seals, she was able to manipulate the braches and force them to wind around Kakashi's form. Immediately noticing how the leaves began to shake, Kakashi made it out of the way in time with a back handspring. Unfortunately, the woman was so rapid in her movements that he barely had enough time to put up a kunai in defence. She was at his side, slamming her own kunai forcefully down on his. Kakashi was still in a semi-crouching position, trying hard to fight his way back onto the large branch, when finally, with one powerful thrust of the arm, he managed to push her back enough to land himself in a standing position.

The woman jumped back and perched herself on another one of the tree's branches. Regaining her balance quickly, she pushed forward again and made a few more hand signs. Kakashi could only counter with a few jutsu of his own; he would burn any foliage that came at him with a Katon, and he would either evade or douse the trees with a water type jutsu he had copied on his last mission. Chidori was not an option, seeing as the woman was moving extremely quickly, and Kakashi simply did not have the right type of chakra to perform an effective Rasengan.

The two seemed evenly matched even without Kakashi's use of the Sharingan, and Kakashi knew that if they kept going at this pace, that he'd have the upper hand in the end. The fight had now switched to taijutsu, a form Kakashi felt fairly confident about because of his body's great flexibility. However, when the woman leapt towards the skies again and out of sight, Kakashi became a little more anxious with regards to the situation. He was fumbling with his mask and hitai-ate, trying to reveal the Sharingan so that he'd have a better view, when the sound of his previously fallen comrade screamed his name. "Kakashi! Move!" He heard Benjiro shout from a distance and his right eye widened in fear.

Kakashi turned around to see what was going on behind him and witnessed Benjiro kicking the enemy kunoichi to the ground; she had been about to give Kakashi a nice concussion when stopped. Kakashi called out his thanks, but the battle was far from over; after all, this was one stubborn and skilled Earth kunoichi. In one sharp movement, she managed to grab Benjiro's leg and took him down with her, flinging him into the side of a tree on their way down. A sickening _crack!_ was heard along with Benjiro's moan of pain.

_Damn woman. She must have broken his leg or something._ Kakashi cursed mentally and managed to, at last, move up his hitai-ate and sprinted down to the ground where both his injured comrade and the enemy target were located.

Although the woman had attempted to conceal herself with some form of an invisibility jutsu, Kakashi was able to view her chakra clearly and from there, attack with cold precision. The kunoichi was caught off guard by Kakashi's unique visibility, and thus her moves became slightly more cautious and calculated. This boy was good for his age, _too_ good. What were they feeding these Konoha kids?

All at once the battle turned fast paced and exciting; to all who were oblivious of the shinobi world, it would have looked more like the two of them were performing some intricate Viennese waltz or modified version of a tango. The only signs of it being combat were the various elements moving from one towards the other and the kicks and punches that viciously sliced through the tense atmosphere. Perspiration leaked through both their clothes as the battle went on, and Kakashi knew that if he did not end it soon, the Sharingan would deplete all his chakra and then he wouldn't be able to fight, wouldn't be able to win.

In his head, Obito cried out words of encouragement, but even those were fading away. When Kakashi noticed how lethargic the kunoichi's moves had become, and how far away his comrade was, he stepped back and prepared to form a chidori.

Sensing that something big was about to happen, the woman jumped back suddenly as well and grabbed the body of Kakashi's injured comrade, lifting the pained boy to his feet while wrapping an arm around his neck, a kunai placed threateningly in her hand. She walked from side to side, still facing Kakashi and smiled menacingly. "Now now, let's not be hasty," she cooed cruelly, "You wouldn't want anything to happen to your friend here." As she spoke her threats, the arm around Benjiro's neck tightened ever so slightly and he tugged at it, trying to let more air fill his windpipe. It was no use to try and move his hands or legs; the woman had tied them up by summoning nearby tree roots.

Kakashi gritted his teeth and bided his time. With Benjiro directly in the line of fire, there was no way that Kakashi could just use the chidori. The woman knew this and had taken over the fight that way. Unsure of what else he could do, Kakashi attempted a feint bound in her direction, and her eyes widened fearfully as she pulled out a few more kunai from her back pouch and threw them rapidly at him. He gasped as three out of four of them hit their target, making ugly wounds on his arms and legs.

Pleased to see that the fight was going in her favour, the kunoichi allowed herself a victorious, yet malicious chuckle, which let both boys know she was far from finished with them. Wanting desperately to finish Kakashi off, as she noted that he was most definitely the stronger of the two, she flung a few more kunai at his erect, yet motionless form and once more, they hit their target. She laughed harshly in delight at his pained expression and her eyes sparkled with triumph.

The laugh and the look on her face quickly faded away when Kakashi's injured form disappeared with a _pop!_ It must have been a bunshin, she realized, mortified. As if coming out only to confirm her suspicious, Kakashi appeared behind the woman, completely uninjured, and landed a wall-placed kick to the back of her head. The kunoichi stumbled awkwardly to the ground, taking Benjiro down with her. Another _crack _was heard and Benjiro rolled onto his knees, clutching at his abdomen.

Once the kunoichi rose to her feet once more, Kakashi demobilized her with a kick to the chest, knocking out all her wind and sending her flying into a tree. As soon as Kakashi was sure that she was down for the count, he formed the appropriate hand seals and annihilated his enemy with a chidori.

He fell to the floor soon after, panting; the Sharingan still took too much out of him to be used for long periods of time and the third tomoe hadn't even appeared yet. Tiredly, he crawled over to where Benjiro still sat on his knees, and Kakashi inquired whether the older boy was all right. Benjiro simply grinned lightly and assured Kakashi that he was fine. When they tried to stand up however, Kakashi noted that this was indeed not the case. Benjiro's right leg appeared to be broken in multiple places, and one portion of the right side of his ribs jutted out unnaturally, visible even underneath all the ANBU attire. "We're going back to the camp to get you cleaned up," Kakashi told him.

"I'm fine, Kakashi. Besides, we need to stay here and fight."

"In your condition, you will only be a liability, and not an asset. You are of no use to anyone dead. Now come on, let's go."

Despite his apparent exhaustion, Kakashi did not struggle too much when helping Benjiro to his feet, and even less when the boy leaned on him for support. Together they limped back to a bush where Kakashi instructed the other boy to remove his chest-plate armour. Benjiro did as he was told, and Kakashi, with his minimal medical knowledge, comprised only of whatever he'd learnt from Rin, was able to asses that the boy was in no critical danger at the moment, but would be if they did not get to a hospital soon.

"Hey Kakashi, why are you doing this for me? You could just go on and leave me here," Benjiro remarked.

"That's ridiculous; you have people who need you back in Konoha, people who are both important to you and you are important to them. What would they do if you were to die?"

"I'm sure they'd go on somehow. Besides, there must be people waiting for you too back home. If you preoccupy yourself with me, then we'll both die. What would they do if you were to die?"

An image of Minato and Rin flashed through Kakashi's mind and he immediately felt a pang of guilt. Benjiro did have a point in what he was saying, but there was no way Kakashi was going to let another comrade die. It wasn't fair. If Kakashi had to go down saving someone, that was fine by him.

"I'm not leaving. I'm not letting a comrade of mine die. The people I have back home…they would understand."

Benjiro, while not having known Kakashi for a long time, still knew better than to contradict him when he spoke with such determination. Sighing resignedly, he laid back while Kakashi performed the minimalist medicinal tasks he had been taught, and opted for some conversation.

"So," Benjiro started, "who are these special people anyway? I'd like to know more about them, if you don't mind sharing."

Deciding that there couldn't be too much harm in giving a few details, and knowing that it would help take Benjiro's mind off the pain he would experience from having pressure applied to his wounds, Kakashi responded. "Well one of them is my sensei. He's a great man and he's one of the only adults I trust."

"What's he like?"

"He's a genius, not only when it comes to being a shinobi, but also when it comes to his approach towards life. It's a difficult thing to see so much pain and death in one's lifetime, and still have the strength of optimism surround you; that's what makes him so admirable."

"He sounds great," Benjiro agreed. "What does he look like?"

"Uh…" Kakashi paused, not wanting to answer. This is exactly the kind of thing he wanted to avoid; if he were to tell him that his sensei was the Hokage, then Benjiro would probably think that Kakashi had gotten into ANBU because of favouritism and knowing people in the higher-ups.

Acknowledging Kakashi's pause thoughtfully, Benjiro ascertained, "So the rumours are true then? You are the Hokage's pupil?"

"Yes," Kakashi nodded, bracing himself for any hatred or yelling that would come.

"That's so cool!" Benjiro exclaimed. "Boy Kakashi, you are one lucky kid. So, who's this other person?"

"My friend," Kakashi answered, not wanting to give more insight into the matter. He really tried to avoid describing Rin to anyone he didn't know; it made him uncomfortable for some reason.

Benjiro wasn't going to let things go that easily. Kakashi's reluctance only intensified his curiosity, and he prodded the younger male for more details.

"My friend is nice and kind to everyone. Always polite and caring, doesn't let friends down. That would about sum it up."

"Always kind and caring? I can't imagine he makes a good shinobi."

"She, not he," corrected Kakashi unconsciously, as he formed a tourniquet around one of Benjiro's arm wounds. Kakashi's eyes widened as he realized the correction he'd made and what critical information it had given away.

Benjiro had obviously noticed this too and grinned teasingly. "She, eh? So one of your most important people is a female? Do tell, do tell."

"There's nothing to tell. It's not what your mind is thinking. She's just a friend."

Just then, Kakashi's ANBU radio crackled and the voice of one of the border commanders rang out, "Wolf, Bird! What the hell are you two doing? Having a tea party? Report back immediately! Over."

Kakashi thanked the gods for allowing this distraction and held the radio to his mouth. "Wolf here, sir! We have annihilated the target previously in our area. We request permission to make our way back to camp; Bird has sustained serious injuries in combat and is in need of medical assistance. Over."

A few moments pause, with only static to fill the air and then, "Wolf! Thank god, we thought you both had died! We've been trying to get in contact with you for nearly an hour! The enemy has torn down our medical camp. Over."

"Wolf here. What do we do then? We're sitting ducks until we get Bird fixed. Over."

"Wolf, take Bird and relocate yourselves to the nearest hospital. Avoid any contact with the enemy; shield yourselves effectively. You may only proceed if you, Wolf, are able to still engage in combat. We don't need two deaths on our hands. Heck, we can't even afford one. So, do you think you still have the power? Over."

"Affirmative. I am able to take care of both of us. We will begin our trek to the nearest Fire Country hospital. Over."

"Wolf! Do not go into any hospital in a civilian village! You may unsuspectingly lead an enemy there, and god knows we can't defend ourselves from an inside invasion. Take Bird and head to Konoha's hospital. Over."

"Very well. We shall go to Konoha. Wolf, over and out."

Kakashi placed the radio back on his belt and helped Benjiro to stand. Together the two of them limped from tree to tree, using only minimal chakra to propel themselves forward.

After about an hour's travel, when they'd reached the halfway point to Konoha, Benjiro's legs gave out and he collapsed against the nearest trunk. Kakashi stumbled along with him, but managed to catch himself in the nick of time. "What's wrong?" he asked worriedly.

"Just leave me here," Benjiro told him, "I can't walk anymore, and there's an enemy coming up to us from the left side. Go Kakashi. Save yourself."

"I'm not abandoning a comrade," Kakashi insisted stubbornly. "I'll fight off the enemy and then we can head over the hospital."

Benjiro shook his head and urged Kakashi to go on by himself. Just then, the enemy appeared from out of nowhere. Kakashi activated his Sharingan and finished the man off quickly; although the enemy was fairly old, he seemed to be only a weak Chuunin or strong Genin. Despite the man's lack of ability, Kakashi's fatigue from the previous fight caused him to function at a lower level as well and he'd sustained a nasty blow to the stomach. Even though Kakashi's insides churned viciously, he still managed to lift the now very weak and injured Benjiro and carry him to Konoha.

"Hey Kakashi," Benjiro commenced.

"Yeah?"

"Tell me more about this female friend of yours."

"There's not much to tell. She's kind, she's female, and she's my friend. That's about all."

"I'm sure she's not half as bland as you make her out to be. What's her name at least?"

"Rin."

"That's a pretty name," Benjiro chirped weakly but happily.

Kakashi gave no response; he was too tired and only had enough energy to concentrate on getting to the desired destination. Looking to his left, Kakashi recognized the Nara clan's forest and felt overwhelming relief at knowing that they would soon arrive at the gates of Konoha, and more importantly, the hospital.

Adrenaline coursed through him and he sped up, desperate to reach the gates and give Benjiro's now unconscious form to a speedy Chuunin, who would ensure that the ANBU got there in record timing.

Fitting to his beliefs, the moment Kakashi entered Konoha's gates and the Chuunin guards recognized that he was ANBU; they immediately took the injured Benjiro out of his arms and ran him over to the hospital. Kakashi muttered a tired thanks; his whole body felt like lead as he dragged himself over to his apartment; hopefully Rin would be home and she'd be able to heal him. The hospital was definitely not somewhere Kakashi wanted to go right now; actually, it was a place he didn't ever want to go. The sterile white walls and the strong smell of bleach brought him discomfiture, and the female nurses that bustled about were just as frightening.

Strength and visibility both fading, Kakashi opened the door to his apartment, and called hoarsely through the small space Rin's name. He heard no response, and proceeded to walk through all the rooms, checking each for any sign of his roommate. Upon heading back to the kitchen, Kakashi felt a sudden wave of dizziness overcome him and fell back into a sitting position. The dizziness brought along with it sharp stabs of pain, mainly to his abdomen area, and an irritation developed itself in his throat. He coughed harshly, too disoriented to worry about what was going on, and a dark crimson phlegm-blood mixture hit the fabric of his mask. _What is this stuff?_ He wondered. _What's happening to me? Why is it getting so dark all of a sudden…?_

_-_

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_-_

_-_

Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Rin was preparing to leave, for it was the end of her shift, when the two Chuunin guards rushed in with an unconscious ANBU. "Hurry, get him a medic!" One guard yelled at the other. Sighing, Rin headed towards the pair and removed the injured shinobi from their arms, placing him on a stretcher. It seemed as though her shift was hardly over.

"Let's wheel him in," she commanded the guards while yelling for some medics to come help.

In a matter of seconds, they placed Benjiro onto a bed, hooked him up to various machines and let the healing begin. He'd sustained not only kunai wounds and dark bruises inflicted by blunt force trauma, but also various fractures in his right leg and a couple of broken ribs. None of the ANBU's injuries were life-threatening and after an intense fifteen minute healing session, Rin was able to trudge back home, nearly completely depleted of her chakra resources.

She didn't even bother to turn on the lights as she entered the apartment; no one was supposed to be home and therefore, she could just directly make her way to the comfy mattress that awaited her. When she moved towards said mattress however, Rin stumbled over something and almost fell flat on her face.

"Weird," she commented to herself, "I could have sworn I moved the groceries." Looking back towards the dark area she had just passed, Rin headed back over to the front door cautiously and turned on the lights in the main room. Upon lighting the room, she discovered that it was an unconscious Kakashi she had stumbled over. It did not seem to worry her at first; this was certainly not the first time he had come home from a mission and passed out in the doorway, but upon closer inspection, she noticed that there was something different about his features.

Firstly, they were not the same drowsy ones his face and body always donned when he was asleep and secondly, his cheeks were tinted pink. To top it all off, it seemed as though he was shivering. Rin frowned and placed a freezing cold hand to his forehead. It felt warm. _Too_ warm. Normally, if she would have placed her hand on any spot of his heated epidermis, he would have jumped up immediately, startled by the cold. Yet here he lay, still motionless.

Her frown deepened and she decided to shake his shoulders, to see if perhaps he had just fallen asleep and caught a cold. Again, she had no luck in waking the boy. As a final attempt, she called out his name – softly at first, but increasing in volume each time.

"Kakashi…" He didn't say a word.

"Kakashi?" No answer.

"Kakashi." Still no answer.

"Kakashi!" Nothing.

"Kakashi?!" Silence.

"Come on Kakashi, this isn't funny anymore. If this is something you did to scare me, you win; I'm scared. Come on, please wake up!" By this time she was shouting and shaking him by the shoulders. His body rocked to and fro lifelessly like a rag-doll, not showing any signs of activity.

Seeing him so unresponsive, Rin bit her lip and feared the worst. She set him back down on the hardwood floors, and pressed an ear to his chest. Hearing his heart pulse in his chest, she breathed a sigh of relief. If he had been without a pulse, she knew that it would have been near impossible, at best, to revive him. There was not enough chakra in her system at the moment to jump-start his heart, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation wasn't guaranteed to work. Shaking his shoulders and dousing his face with cold water a few more times, Rin was able to ascertain that he would not be waking any time soon. Also, he had various injuries that needed tending to and the rosiness in his cheeks had seemed to intensify in the last few minutes.

Slinging him onto her shoulder, she thanked the gods or whoever was up there for making the apartment relatively close to the hospital. He was heavy compared to her, and she staggered under his weight. Furthermore, when standing, his body towered a good few inches over hers, which made him extremely difficult to carry. Without complaint through – for she was much too scared for his health – Rin steadied him on her shoulder and rapidly bounded off to the rooftops of homes, the little chakra she had propelling her forward at a fairly quick pace.

Reaching the hospital, Rin burst through the doors and set Kakashi down gently on a stretcher – taking care to have both his masks secured to his face – and called through the halls for medical assistance. The nurses were surprised to see her back, and even more surprised to see her pushing around an ANBU. When they looked at her curiously, Rin merely stated that she'd been going home when she found the unconscious ANBU on the ground – it was the closest version to the truth she could think of without giving anything away. The nurses seemed to accept her explanation, for they nodded seriously in her direction, before pulling the stretcher into a nearby room.

Rin felt completely helpless. She had not been able to assist with the healing, for she had insufficient chakra, and thus needed to content herself with giving orders to the other nurses while they worked on fixing Kakashi. She also was the one who they sent out to get fresh towels or water. Kakashi lay, still unconscious on the hospital bed, his body hooked up to a heart monitor and various other hospital machines.

The group of nurses healing him were having much difficulty. At first, they had healed only the gashes and bruises he'd sustained, but it didn't seem to help his condition. They didn't panic for they knew his body would need a long time to recover – especially with that unique Sharingan implanted in him. No, the nurses only panicked when all of a sudden the heart monitor flat-lined. Most would have taken it as a sign to give up, but this was an ANBU and a respected member of the community; not only that, but they couldn't let him just die when one of his friends was in the room watching.

Rin also saw the heart monitor flat-line, as well as hearing the long_ beep, _and could have almost sworn that her heart stopped in that instant too. It wasn't happening. This wasn't possible. She couldn't lose another one; not another teammate, not another friend. From that point on, everything seemed to move in slow motion; the nurses commands to each other were deep and distorted, while their movements were lethargic to the point of almost frozen motion.

She watched in mild entrancement as they shouted to one another, and pulled out the nearest defibrillator. One of them had the pads in her hands and she called out a number followed by "Clear!" Rin watched as his body lifted itself off the bed when the electric shock was administered and snapped back to reality.

"What's the situation?" She called out above all the noise.

"We've managed to get back a pulse after 120 joules but we're on stand-by at this point; anything could happen really," one of the head nurses answered.

With that said, the older woman went back to work, applying more chakra and having the younger nurses clean more of his wounds. After spending another half hour in heart-rending anticipation, Rin was offered some form of relief from the words of the head nurse. "He's going to be fine," she told the anxious young medic, "we've managed to stabilize his condition."

"What happened though? Patients don't usually flat-line because of a few kunai wounds."

"I don't know what's wrong with him at this point; we'll run a few more tests in a couple of minutes. From the symptoms his body's been showing throughout though, my best guess would be that it has something to do with his digestive system."

"Digestive system?" Rin asked and got an idea. "Can I run a test? I think I know what's going on."

"Sure."

Rin took a little chakra from one of the youngest nurses working graveyard shift, and used it to perform her test. Once she finished examining his stomach and trachea, she concluded that her suspicions had been indeed strange, but also correct. She glanced over once more at Kakashi's form, before heading outside to share her findings. "It was just as I'd thought," Rin told the older nurses. "For some reason, his body went into anaphylactic shock."

"What? You mean from an allergy?"

"Yeah; I'm not sure what he's allergic to though. We'll have to do more examination when he's woken up."

"But the allergen could be gone by then!" One of the nurses protested.

"I doubt it. Even so, we'll just have to see when he wakes up. There'll be no more tests to be performed on this ANBU while he's asleep, alright?"

"Fine."

"I'll take over his case from here. Hand me the files."

"Rin, at least go home to freshen up and get some rest. You've been here nearly all day long."

"I'll go to get a change of clothes," she agreed, "but then I'm coming straight back. I'll sleep on a chair or something. No need to worry about me. Besides, I can't go home now; I've got a patient that needs looking after." Rin threw them a smile and they could do nothing but agree. It was something talked about frequently between the older nurses; this young medic was much too caring, selfless and stubborn for her own good.

True to her word, Rin came back to the hospital only twenty minutes later, and seated herself in a chair she placed a few meters away from Kakashi's bed, taking care to give the boy plenty of space to breathe. She wanted to move closer, but wasn't sure if that would offset some detriment in his health. Part of her was still shaken, while part of her was grateful, while part of her was furious.

Rin knew that one of the factors causing his recovery to be so delayed was the Sharingan. She had been hesitant when Kakashi had joined ANBU, because she feared that he'd push himself too hard – like he always did – and her fears had just been affirmed. She scooted a little closer and, being sure to keep the majority of herself at a distance, she wiped some of the sweat that was forming on his forehead with a fresh towel.

"Oh Obito," she sighed heavily as she dabbed at the beads of sweat, "If you gave him the Sharingan, why couldn't you have also given him the brain with which to use it?"

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_**Author's Note:** Dun, dun, dun! Slight bit of a cliffie (not really) and the next chapter will have much emotional intensity. Hope you're all ready for it. ;) As always, I encourage you to leave constructive reviews filled with your honest criticisms and ideas about this fic. Chapter 14 received a sad review count of five reviews (**chibirain94, ninbunny alchemist, catgirl9696, Sakra-chan, and Frog Lady**), and even though I am not writing this for reviews, it would be greatly appreciated if you could take the time to review. Thank you. _

**Chapterly Challenge:** _Ok, so about one of you (I think that's right...) participated in the last chapterly challenge. The answer was: A watched pot never boils._

_Now, let's take a look at our standings:_

**Chibirain94** - 10

**Catgirl9696** - 15

**Sakra-chan** - 12

**Snappa** - 24

**Hikari Minamoto** - 15

**EndDragon **- 5

**Piccylo** - 10

**JoiZ. D** - 10

**Sachie-chan11** - 2

**Rileyonline** - 10

_As for this week's challenge, we have two options: one Latin and one English! This is in order to satisfy both sides of the reviewers, and hopefully, to bring some more thorough language education. Even if you tell me the answer to both, you will only receive credit for one. Alright, without further ado, here are the challenge(s):_

_**1) The stylus is more potent than the claymore.**_

_**2) Vita non est vivere sed valere vita est.**_


	16. Wounds

_**Author's Note:** Hey all! I am so sorry for the longer wait for the update. This weekend has been super busy (but fun!) and I hope you'll all forgive me for not putting up chapter 16 sooner. This one's kind of like a roller-caoster back and forth ride; you'll see what I mean soon. Either way, enjoy, and don't forget to review! ;)_

Disclaimer: I do _not_ own Naruto.

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Kakashi awoke the next morning to the sound of nurses' hushed murmurs and the smell of bleach. Even though he was dizzy, it did not take him long to establish that he was in the hospital. He couldn't figure out why though; hadn't he only taken Benjiro here? Kakashi tried to remember, but found that all his recollections about what he could only assume had been the previous day were very blurry and fragmented.

Slowly, Kakashi opened his eyes and surveyed his surroundings. Indeed he was in the hospital; the sterile white walls and beeping of hospital machinery confirmed his original ideas. A middle-aged nurse stood above his bed, smiling at him warmly. "Good morning Hatake-san. Glad to see you're awake."

Kakashi nodded and asked, "Why am I here?"

"You don't remember what happened?" The nurse's smile turned to a frown at the lack of memory on Kakashi's behalf. "Well, of course not. You were unconscious."

_Unconscious?_ Kakashi wondered mentally. Now he was even more confused than before; he certainly did not remember being unconscious.

"One of our medics found you and brought you in," the nurse told him. "Although you had sustained only a few moderate injuries, you had a bit of a cardiac arrest when you went into anaphylactic shock."

Cardiac arrest? Anaphylactic shock? That was definitely something he didn't remember. How could he have gone into anaphylactic shock? He wasn't allergic to anything…was he?

"Why did I go into anaphylactic shock? What am I allergic to?" Kakashi inquired to the nurse.

"That's what I'm trying to find out right now, if you would just hold still please."

Kakashi did as he was told and held still, his eyes the only part of his body that was moving. The nurse had with her a kit containing a few prickly metal sticks and vials with different coloured liquids. She would take one of the metal sticks, dip it into a vial, and then prick his arm with it. She would then look at how large of a red mark it left on his skin, and write a few things down in Kakashi's medical chart.

Once the woman was finished, and Kakashi felt his skin itch and sting, the investigation as to what allergen affected him was concluded and the results were given. "Hatake-san," the nurse began, "have you eaten any anpan in the last couple of days?"

Kakashi racked his brain for an answer, trying to remember just what he had eaten in the past couple of days. It was difficult, for the days just seemed to blur by him, mixing into one large mess filled with blood and gore and death, but at last he was able to remember that he had indeed eaten anpan in the previous days. "Yes, they gave us some back at base camp."

"Alright. Do not eat it anymore; the sweet beans inside of it are what caused you to go into anaphylactic shock. You're severely allergic."

Kakashi gave a nod to show that he understood, to which the nurse bowed and quitted the room. Before she left, the woman stuck her head back in the doorway and told him, "Your friend should be by shortly. She just went to get changed."

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At the same time Kakashi was having his test, Rin was back at the apartment getting changed. A furious expression – as furious as Rin ever got – was on her face and her fury was shown in the way she angrily fought with the drawer to release her articles of clothing, in the way she slammed the microwave door after putting in a cup of coffee, and in the way she nearly broke the key in the lock when she left the house. Originally she had been quite worried and fearful for her friend's life, but the worry and fear had been replaced with anger. She knew that he would do something stupid like this! Granted, the allergy response was not his fault, but he had still gotten himself overly fatigued and overworked.

She power walked through the streets of Konoha, eager to get to the hospital and berate him for being so irresponsible. As she arrived at the hospital, she smiled politely at the nurses she passed by and greeted several of her patients on the way. Opening the door to Kakashi's room and entering it, however, her face reverted back to its angry features.

"Hi," Kakashi greeted her almost sheepishly.

Rin nodded to show that she acknowledged his greeting and moved to stand diagonally across from his bed. "Don't you _ever_, _**ever**_, _**ever**_ do that again!" She scolded him sternly.

He rolled his eyes and retorted childishly, "Sorry for having an allergic reaction."

"You know that's not what I'm talking about! You're overworking your body. Don't you understand that what you're doing is unhealthy and can result in death?! You cannot do the same things you did before, because now you have the Sharingan. It depletes your chakra faster than usual, Kakashi. Just _think_ before you decide to use it so much again!" After finishing her rant, Rin sighed heavily and took a seat in the chair near his bed.

"So how are you feeling?" She asked more softly.

"I've been better," he admitted.

"At least you're stable now. You gave us all such a heart attack last night; pardon the pun. We were so worried that you weren't going to make it."

_We? Oh shit. _"You were there?" Kakashi asked her, feeling mildly horrified. He hoped that her answer was no; that she had not been witness to his hospitalization and anaphylactic shock.

"Yeah, of course I was. I was the one who found you. And I don't blame you for the anaphylactic shock bit, but please, don't strain yourself anymore. It made it extremely difficult for the nurses to heal you and stabilize your condition."

"Sorry."

"It's ok. Just don't do it again."

An uncomfortable silence swept over the pair and tension remained thick in the air until Kakashi attempted to break it by inquiring about his partner. "Is Benjiro ok?"

"Who?"

"Benjiro. The other ANBU that was brought in yesterday."

"Oh, him. From what I've heard he's doing fine, but I'll be going to check up on him in a little while."

"Good. So…" Kakashi hesitated, unsure of whether or not he should ask his question. On the one hand, he really needed to know the answer, but on the other, it could send Rin back into a state of being upset. He shrugged the latter idea out of his mind and decided to ask. "When will I be released from the hospital?"

"Well, the nurse who was doing your check-up tells me that you're close to healing, so you should be released either today or tomorrow." As if picking up on his discomfiture, Rin tacked on suspiciously, "Why?"

"I-I wanted to know when I could leave to go back to the border."

"Excuse me?" Rin asked him incredulously, her eyes wide. Go back to the border? He had just had a cardiac arrest the other night! Was he trying to get himself killed? "Go back to the border? Are you crazy or just plain stupid?"

"Neither," he responded through gritted teeth.

"Your week is almost up anyway! They don't need you to go back."

"I need to go back, Rin," Kakashi insisted. "I need to go fight and prove that I am worthy-"

"Prove that you are worthy? If you weren't worthy, they wouldn't have let you in ANBU!"

"I need to prove that Obito's gift is powerful and that it can be used. I need to prove to them how strong Obito could have been."

When he finished his statement, Rin looked about ready to blow her top. "Of course, this has to do with Obito! Kakashi, I know you feel guilty, but putting your life in danger to satisfy your ego is not going to help the guilt! Didn't you promise that you were only going into ANBU for yourself? That it had nothing to do with Obito?"

"And you believed me?"

"Yes, of course I did! I trusted you; you had no reason to lie to me! Obviously," she commented, standing up, "that was a mistake. And you know what else? What you're trying to prove is impossible, it is never going to work and you'll never be satisfied. When the ANBU recruited you, they did it for _your _abilities, not Obito's. When they look at the Sharingan inside of you, they still see _Hatake Kakashi_, not Uchiha Obito. None of them think of what a great shinobi Obito _could have been_; they only think of how great a shinobi Hatake Kakashi _is_. They don't see _him_ when they look at you; they only see you! They don't give a damn about him and what could have been! They only care about _you_ and how useful _you_ are to them!"

"I can make them see, though."

"No Kakashi, you can't. No matter how much you want to, you can't."

"So what? Have you forgotten about him too? Do you only see Hatake Kakashi when you look at me?"

"Of course I haven't forgotten about him; don't you dare ever imply that. He is my friend and I love him as such. I will never forget about him. In fact, it seems that I am honouring his memory more than you care to."

Now it had escalated into a verbal battle and pointing fingers. There were some things that Kakashi seemed to be too blind to see, and Rin, being fed up with all this, had taken to harsher methods to open his eyes.

"Honouring his memory? I do honour his memory, by going out and fighting and utilizing the gift he gave me."

"He gave you two gifts that day," Rin reminded him, and explained the concept once she saw the confused look on his face, "one of which is more important than the other! He gave you the eye, and your life! It's about time you started appreciating the second gift."

This shut Kakashi up. Of course Rin was right with what she had said, but Kakashi's mind had been so one-track that he'd never really noticed the second gift until she pointed it out. Although the realization made him feel slightly more guilty – for going out on high risk missions was like gambling your life – Kakashi still did not see how he was dishonouring the second gift. He was simply making the most of his life.

"I don't see how wanting to fight is dishonouring his gift. I am a shinobi, I fight. It's how I make a living, Rin."

"I know it is, but it's almost like you're throwing your life away with ANBU. The missions are so high rank, and your Sharingan can be used for only so little time before you have to cover it back up, leaving you with a dangerous blind spot; it's like every mission you go on is a suicide one! I don't want you to go out on a mission and have them bring you home in a matchbox or worse, not bring you home at all!"

"Rin, I think you're blowing this whole thing out of proportion. I know how to fight and I know how to keep myself alive."

"Maybe so, but you're not going back out there today or tomorrow. You can go for your next shift, but since your one-week is almost up now, and you're in the hospital, I'd strongly suggest that you just stay at home. I'll have the head of the hospital write you a notice to take back to the border next time you go. Or if you find that the stress is too much, you can always resign."

"Rin! I'm not going to resign. Life doesn't work that way; you can't just run away like a coward every time something is hard or you have a problem."

"If it's going to kill you, then you should run away."

"If people need you, if people are counting on you, then you shouldn't run away, no matter how hard something is. You shouldn't give up. That's why I won't die, because I refuse to give up."

Unbeknownst to Kakashi, his words had struck a chord in Rin. Wasn't that what she was doing? Running away from her problems? Wasn't that why she had moved in with him in the first place?

"What if you're scared?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"It doesn't make a difference," Kakashi said, shaking his head. "If you want to help someone, you've got to go through scary things, overcome obstacles."

"And what if you care about them so much that you're afraid of damaging them further through help?"

"It still doesn't matter. If you care about someone you will want to help them and you'll put in enough effort that you will end up doing them more good than harm."

Rin chuckled lightly. The situation was so ironic. She was – unknowing to Kakashi – getting lectured on the moral righteousness of helping people and overcoming obstacles – a subject she definitely felt she needed to be enlightened in. Months ago, it had been her and Team Seven that were trying to increase _his_ morals.

Meanwhile, Kakashi had used his gained intuitiveness to discover that Rin was talking about a topic entirely separate to ANBU or anything she had been yelling at him about. The subject she was referring to was probably more private, and while Kakashi did not feel it his place to pry, he tried to offer some inconspicuous, general support. Perhaps it would help her deal with whatever she was facing. Whoever was up in heaven only knew that she had helped him so much in the past few months. It was about time he had a chance to do the same for her.

"It's ok for someone to be scared. That person only needs to put their fear aside in order to help. Everyday there are people appointed as healers. The real healers though are those who heal peoples' emotional wounds, because emotional wounds are a lot harder to heal than the physical ones."

Rin looked on at him in a mixture of discomfiture and awe. She always had her suspicions that he was mature, but ever since she'd been living with him, she had been granted access to seeing just how mature and deep he was capable of being. Even though for most it would have been something normal, concern or words of advice or whatever he was expressing right now, was very sweet – in Rin's opinion.

"Yeah…" she agreed and for the first time felt unworthy of her title. She had been able to heal only very minor emotional wounds in those she cared about, and it did not bring her any satisfaction – she knew that there were far too many more large, gaping holes through their hearts and raw, ugly scars crossing their bodies in a fresh memory of their pain.

"So," Kakashi spoke after a period of time, "when will I be released again?"

"Today or tomorrow, and whichever day it may be, you'd better head straight home after they release you."

"I thought we went over this already," he sighed heavily, rolling his eyes at her for the second time today, "I have to go back and fight."

"Well then you're not going to be released for a couple of weeks."

"It's not in your authority to keep me here. I can have any ANBU at headquarters release me."

"_Why _are you trying so eager to get back to the border? You know that you only have about another couple of weeks before they transfer you to the frontlines."

"They won't transfer me; they know how I am with the Sharingan and they know that they need to keep me at the border."

Rin gave a snort of disbelief. "Yeah, because I'm sure that ANBU is _real_ accommodating to all its members' needs."

"They're not as bad as you think they are. They're just people too."

"I know, I know, but I still think that you should just stay at home."

"It does not matter what you think; I'm going to go to the border regardless."

"Well, I have an issue with that and your attitude towards this whole border thing. If you don't promise to stay here, I cannot release you." She saw his mouth open to protest, and she continued on, not letting him get a word in. "And if an ANBU comes to release you, then I will have you transferred to the psych ward for mental deficiencies and explain to them that you are not competent enough to stand fighting."

"How about if I promise not to overwork myself?"

"It will not work. I won't accept any such promise."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't trust you to keep it. You've lied to me at least once; who's to say that you're not just going to lie again to get your way?"

"Rin, come on! I'm a – I can't just waste away in this hospital bed! There are people over there fighting for their lives and our lives and no one is there to help them! I need to go to the border! Either release me, or I'll release myself!"

"Kakashi, if you release yourself, I really will have you admitted to the psych ward."

"Go ahead. Go ahead and _ruin everything_ I've worked so hard to get. Go on. Do it if it makes you _feel_ better." He said harshly, works dripping like acid off his tongue.

"Ruin?! Ruin?! You think I want to destroy your dreams?!" Rin repeated incredulously to him, tears springing up at the corner of her eyes. "How _dare_ you?! You _know_ I want you to be happy! You _know_ I want everything to work out for you, Kakashi! But I also want you to be _alive_! I just – I can't – I can't believe you. I just can't believe you think I want to ruin everything for you. You know what Kakashi – just – I'll hand over your case files to the nurse who came in to test you, and she'll assess whether or not you're fit to be released. You think I'd keep you here just to ruin your life? Fine. I'm officially not handling your cases anymore."

"I – you know I didn't mean –" Kakashi made a move to retract his previous sentence, but when he looked up, the door was shut and the room was empty. Sighing heavily, he fell back on his pillows.

-

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"How are you feeling Benjiro-san?" Rin asked, sliding open the door to his room.

"Fine," he replied, grinning. "I didn't know angels worked at the hospital."

Rin blushed lightly at his compliments, her cheeks tinged pink. She let out a cough to clear her throat and then introduced herself. "I'm not an angel," she grinned back nervously, "I'm Rin. I'm a nurse here."

Rin…Rin…Rin…where had he heard that name before? …Of course! With Kakashi!

"_**Hey Kakashi." **_

"_**Yeah?"**_

"_**Tell me more about this female friend of yours."**_

"_**There's not much to tell. She's kind, she's female, and she's my friend. That's about all."**_

"_**I'm sure she's not half as bland as you make her out to be. What's her name at least?"**_

"_**Rin."**_

"_**That's a pretty name."**_

"Oh, so you're Rin. Well, Kakashi sure did a crap job of describing you. You're _much_ prettier and way more interesting than he cared to describe.

"Kakashi told you about me? Wait a minute, who are you?"

"I'm Kane Benjiro, pleased to make your acquaintance. I'm Kakashi's partner at the border this week. Yeah, he told me all about you. So where is he? I kind of need to leave soon."

"Well, he's just in the room across the hall."

"Wait, so that was him you were arguing with?"

"What do you mean?"

"I heard you guys from all the way out here! Damn, that sounded pretty intense. Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, sure. Everything's fine," Rin fibbed.

"So then why were you shouting at each other?"

"It was nothing."

"I get it, you don't want to tell me. True, it's not my business to pry into your personal matters, especially since I just met you, but it sounded like you were arguing about ANBU. By the way, what's Kakashi doing in the hospital?"

"He overworked himself, _again._ And to put the icing on top of the cake, he went into cardiac arrest last night from an allergic reaction."

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing, there's nothing you could have done."

"No, that's the thing; I was probably the cause of the exhaustion. I got really badly injured in our battle with an Earth Nin, and Kakashi had to protect me all the way back to Konoha. I tried to get him to leave me there – I really did, but he insisted on bringing me back alive. He said that he wouldn't leave me to die, that I still had important people to live for. He quite literally saved my life; I'm sorry that it caused him damage and discord."

Rin stood in front of Benjiro, a needle filled with anaesthesia frozen in her hand. Her eyes were wide with shock, and guilt began to swell itself and occupy the inner of her stomach. Kakashi had gotten so worked up to save a comrade? Then why hadn't he just said so? She would have understood, she would have accepted it! It could have saved them a whole lot of argumentation! All at once, the day's events got to her and she dropped the needle in her hand, letting it fall clumsily to the floor. There was no other way around it. She needed to confront the problems in her life before they became overwhelming. And she needed to confront them soon. Vaguely, she heard Benjiro's voice ask, "Are you ok?" making her snap back and put on a smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I – I was just surprised. I didn't know that that was the case. Sorry, I was just a bit surprised." She picked the fallen needle off the floor and surveyed it strangely before throwing it into the nearest trashcan and getting a new one. Applying the anaesthesia almost absentmindedly, Rin fought back a fresh wave of tears and looked at the clock – relief flooding into her as she noted her shift was almost over. It would finish soon, and then she'd go home – somewhere she hadn't been seeing much of for the past while.

* * *

_**Author's Note:** Whoa, emotional roller-coaster huh? There was much more dialogue in this chapter than I'd intended, but I still loved writing it; hope that the reader(s) all enjoyed reading it. Chapter 17 will be more Rin and less Kakashi, so sorry for all who wanted more Kakashi. Also, I am thinking of taking the "series of inter-related oneshots" out of my summary because - unintentionally - this has sort of turned into a multi-chapter fic and I really dislike false advertising. Thank you to all of chapter 15's reviewers: **Piccylo, chibirain94, Sakra-chan, ninbunny alchemist, EndDragon, gumshoe1101, and rileyonline.**_

_**Chapterly Challenge:** Well, I'd say that last week's method work out very nicely! There were a few who went with the Latin, a few who went with the English and one who went with both! The answer for the Latin one was "Life is merely more than staying alive" and the English one was "The pen is mightier than the sword"._

_Here are your standings thus far:_

**Chibirain94** - 10

**Catgirl9696** - 15

**Sakra-chan** - 14

**Snappa** - 24

**Hikari Minamoto** - 15

**EndDragon **- 10

**Piccylo** - 15

**JoiZ. D** - 10

**Sachie-chan11** - 2

**Rileyonline** - 15

_As for this chapter's challenge, we will again have one Latin and one English. You will only be given credit for one, so you needn't answer both, but of course, if you wish to, please do answer both! Without further ado, here are the challenge(s):_

**_1) Scintillate, scintillate, asteroid minific._**

**_2) Animis opibusque parati._**


	17. Going Home

_**Author's Note:** Hello all, and welcome to yet another chapter of Living Arrangements. This week's chapter has been inspired by a play that I saw performed at our school by a theatre troupe. It was a very touching plotline and the emotional performances had been done so spectacularily that my heart could not help but feel warm and sympathetic. On another note, this is one of the final chapters of Living Arrangements. So far I have the plan to have 19 chapters (including an epilogue), but since I really wish to end it off at 20, perhaps I will think up another idea for another chapter. Either way, please just enjoy this chapter as I have taken special care to write it, and it holds a special place in my heart. It is sad and heart-rending, but not particularily angsty. You shall see what I mean as you read on._

Disclaimer: I do _not_ own Naruto.

* * *

Free from her shift, Rin headed back to her current apartment, taking care to use her time wisely. By the way the older nurse had been looking at him, Kakashi seemed to almost be ready to be released, and Rin definitely did not wish to encounter him during this – not that she thought he'd mind all that much; it just didn't seem right, that was all.

Upon reaching the apartment, she hurriedly stuck her key in the lock, gave it a rapid turn, and shut it noisily behind her. Walking over to the kitchenette, Rin removed three large cardboard boxes, which had all been folded up, and proceeded to clear her space – carelessly putting in clothing, weapons, and all other necessities. With her efficient, fast-paced efforts, she managed to clear the space in less than two hours, and now worked on moving her boxes from their current place to her desired destination.

As she hauled them to and fro, her mind began to wander and wonder guiltily if maybe she should stay at the apartment until Kakashi was back – in order not to give him another cause of worry. Still, if he had resolved to depart directly to the border upon his release from the hospital, then he wouldn't be back for another few days, at the least – and that was more than Rin cared to wait. Nevertheless the guilty side of her won, as always, and she opted for a less alarming and more fitting way to take her leave. Yes, she would stay elsewhere, but instead of leaving him to wonder about her whereabouts, Rin would be kind enough to leave a notice to, well, notify him that she had not been kidnapped or killed or any such horrendous thing.

Before leaving with the last box, she did just that. Pulling out a notepad, Rin scribbled down a note for Kakashi and attached it with some piece of tape – that she'd later discover held together the '7' button on the microwave – to his door. Sparing one last look at the apartment she had called home for the past few months, Rin turned around and bounded out the door.

When she finally reached her new residence with the last of the boxes, and saw that no one had taken anything inside, Rin knocked carefully on the door, fidgeting from one side to the other as she waited. Moments later, an older woman with chestnut hair opened the door, her eyes widening in shock as she regarded Rin with something akin to amazement. "Rin, where have you been? I've been so worried!" The woman cried out, reaching out with her arms and taking the young girl before her in an embrace.

Rin shifted nervously and uncomfortably in the hug, letting her arms hang by her sides, her eyes staring directly over the woman's shoulder. "Hi mom," she replied, neither responding to nor breaking the embrace she was currently being held in.

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Kakashi walked to his apartment at a leisurely pace; he had just been released from the hospital minutes before, and was told that Benjiro would be released the next morning. Taking this information into account, Kakashi decided to postpone his trip back to the border one more day, and just spend the rest of this day resting. He was a little wary to go to his apartment – especially since his weary mind and body really did not wish to partake in another argument with Rin – but rationally, he had decided that going home could not be avoided. He may not have been sure that he was ready to apologize, but Kakashi was sure that he was ready to do anything – save lay down and die – to avoid another confrontation.

Standing before the door to his apartment, he established that there would be no dreaded confrontation – the note taped to his door indicated this rather clearly. "Thanks for letting me stay with you, but I had to leave. I'm tired of running away. Again, thanks for everything. Be safe. See you around. Rin." He read the note sticking to his door aloud.

So it was back to living with himself. Kakashi couldn't say that he was thrilled at the idea, but if she insisted that she had to leave, he couldn't have stopped her. Although he knew this as a fact, he could not quite stop the dejected sigh from escaping his lips or the slight slumping of his shoulders at the news that he'd be living alone. Again.

Unlocking his door, and turning the knob, some shred of hope still dwelled within him that perhaps it was all a joke to scare him, to get him to apologize and not leave for the border – although he would go regardless. Said hope however died as quick as it birthed, the empty open drawers, the absence of a second mattress, and the lack of feminine hygiene products in the washroom all contributing factors leading up its extinguishing and eventual death.

Leaving early for the border was starting to look like a mighty tempting idea.

-

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Finally letting go of her daughter, Rin's mother looked past the girl and straight to the boxes containing her belongings, and surprisingly, a mattress. Her mother silently went over and began to lift one of the boxes, to which Rin protested, "Hey mom! Don't lift them! They're too heavy for you!" Rin's mother could only raise a questioning eyebrow at her daughter, making Rin's cheeks tinge pink in embarrassment.

Once all the box lifting was competed, and the two females were sitting in the main room unpacking, Rin's mother took the initiative and pushed her daughter into making conversation. "So Rin honey, how are you?"

"I'm ok. Tried, but ok."

"Where have you been staying all this time? I hope you haven't been sleeping on the streets or anything. It's dangerous out there."

Rin froze. She couldn't tell her mother that all this time she had been living with Kakashi; the older woman would have an absolute fit! She had to think up an excuse, and fast. Or better yet, she could tell the truth – so she'd feel less guilty about leaving her mother – yet only tell part of the truth. "Of course I haven't been sleeping on the streets. I've been staying at a friend's." Well, it was the truth, wasn't it?

"You really should have let me know. I was worried sick about you. I didn't know where you were."

"You could have looked for me," Rin suggested, her tone a bit more colder than necessary, "I wasn't even as far as the other side of town."

"I thought that maybe you were on a mission," her mother defended.

"Yeah, right," Rin looked down, trying to concentrate on the floorboards, folding the clothes, anything but the conversation. Just the fact that her mother was trying to justify not looking for her made Rin's blood boil. The irresponsibility and carelessness was the reason she had left in the first place. Scoffing lightly, Rin rolled her eyes and said, "Mom, I haven't gone on a mission since half a year ago. I work at the hospital now; I don't go on missions."

"Oh," her mother said, and then gaining a confused expression on her features, added, "Why didn't I know that?"

_Probably because you were too intoxicated to remember_, Rin mused bitterly. It wasn't like Rin to act this way, but her mother's treatment and constant defeatist attitude had been a cause of much frustration in her life. "You probably just forgot," Rin offered up as a response.

"Yeah…" Her mother trailed off, biting her lip in nervous uncertainty. It was apparently a hereditary habitual act, for moments later Rin was biting down on hers too.

"So mom, how have you been doing?"

"Good, good," her mother replied off-handedly.

"Been going to your meetings, getting help?" Rin's voice took on a softer tone; this was always a touchy subject, one where if the wrong thing was said in the wrong way, great dissent could result. Thus, the subject needed to be approached with a little more finesse and caution.

"Yeah, every week. I-I've been sober for two months now."

Rin stared back at her mother in awe. Two whole months? That was amazing! Her mother had been so extraordinarily dependant on alcohol for the longest time that even a few weeks would have been taken as a great accomplishment.

The destructive habit had developed in the time where her mother was still a shinobi who went out on missions. At first it had been just to calm her nerves and try to wipe away the images of slain bodies from her mind – and Rin had never considered that one small glass per couple of days was an issue – but then the amount increased and increased until finally she was going to missions hung-over and coming back from them drunk. Her body had steadily built up a strong tolerance, which meant that more alcohol was needed each and every time in order to subdue the violent images that attacked the forefront of her thoughts. By the time Rin had noticed that it was a serious problem that was plaguing her mother, it was almost too late; the older woman had gotten herself in so deep, deeper than she felt she had the willpower to get out.

Soon after Rin had realized the problem, her mother had been suspended from active duty because of a simple mission that she had seriously botched, endangering her comrades and increasing the risk that a scroll with information about Konoha's strategic internal affairs would be captured by the enemy. After being taken off active duty, her mother had little to occupy her time with, and to prevent the gory imagery from reproducing in her mind, she had spent the time she had drinking and going around the village with both civilian and shinobi friends. At first, the woman's friends had thought her new state to be great – the strict mother they were used to seeing was now letting loose and having a little fun. Time passed, and with it, her friends came to realize that her behaviour was unnatural and inappropriate; eventually, the drinking had cost her both her career and her friends.

The loss of both seemed to be another reason to be depressed and drink. Much to both Rin and her mother's relief, the woman had never been a violent drunk, thus she had never taken any frustrations out on Rin when she was in a drunken stupor. The only negative results had been the constant state of unhappiness which Rin's mother was in, the neglect Rin had to endure – as well as the taking care of her impaired mother, and eventually it had caused the dissolution of their family; Rin's father had gotten fed up with the behaviour, and seeing that this was much too large of a problem to tackle – and quite frankly, a problem he did not _wish_ to tackle – he divorced the Rin's mother and moved off to Tea Country, where he found a girlfriend.

Now Rin, who had only been about nine or ten when the alcoholism had started, did not feel any resent towards either parent at first. Sure there was the occasional time she'd be angry with them both for something, but she still loved them unconditionally. And even now, she still loved them unconditionally. But now she was mature, and understood the situation better; it had caused her to feel a bit more than a little resent towards both of her parents. The neglect and constant lack of adoration from her mother had made Rin branch out and try to find attention from other adults – she would often pour her heart and soul into studying medical jutsu so that she could receive some praise and attention from either her peers or her senseis.

The attitude her father had taken on with regards to the situation – namely the 'I don't want to help and I don't want any part of this' attitude – had made her reconsider some of the admiration she felt for him. Whenever her mother was neglecting her, Rin revelled in the knowledge that she could go to her father and he would provide her with all the love and attention she wasn't getting. After he decided to up and leave the both of them, Rin took this as a sign of abandonment and repressed some of the love she felt for him in order to make way for some anger fuelled by he betrayal she felt.

The only thing that she could really thank both her parents for was the ability to act as if everything was perfect. Her family had always acted effortlessly, and while she easily grew tired of it, Rin had to admit that it was a very useful method to stop others from prying into your personal affairs. She had used this talent to plaster on a smile and fool all those at school into thinking that she was the perfectly happy little girl everyone saw her to be. She still used it to conceal her true thoughts on certain situations, and to keep everyone around her at least complacent.

One other positive had resulted from her family life. The loneliness she experienced caused her to socialize more with her peers and display more compassion towards them. With Obito and Kakashi she had been particularly sympathetic. Obito was considered the lowest of the Uchiha Clan and some clan members swore to not even consider him part of their clan. Conscious of all the social pressures he was experiencing, Rin set aside time to be with him and always made sure to give him the praise and attention he so desperately needed, so desperately craved.

With Kakashi it had been a little different; he did not make his situation known to anyone, but Rin, being an expert in facades and defence mechanisms – having used them herself – was able to determine that something was wrong with him, and that he was suffering from some unknown trauma. Thus, she had made it a point to give him as much attention as she gave Obito and in the process, she had started to take a specific liking to him. He was quiet, and unlike others, he did not try to hide his anger from anyone. It was on display for all to marvel at. She supposed that was what made her like him so much. He was real, and real was refreshing.

The final positive of her situation was that it was what had originally driven her towards being a medic-nin. She had hoped with all her young naïve heart that there was a cure for what her mother was experiencing and hoped that maybe, if she could become a medic, she would be able to rid her mother of her ailment and bring their family back together. If that was not possible, Rin had wanted to at least be able to help others out and cure them of their sufferings. Since learning that there was nothing she could do except provide support and positive reinforcement for her mother, Rin had taken to studying both the physiological and psychological aspects of medicine, and the effect that any sickness would have on both states. Books had provided her with viable information, but none had been able to produce the answer to her family's problems.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Rin turned her attention back to the situation at hand. "Two whole months and no drinking?"

Her mother smiled up at her. "Not one single drop."

Rin smiled back and felt the familiar stinging of tears in her eyes. "I-I don't know what to say. I'm so proud of you mom!"

"Thank you Rinnie," her mother said, using the nickname she had for Rin when she was younger. "It means so much to me to hear you say that." She paused for a moment and then looked down, suddenly filled with shame. "I-I'm so sorry that I put you through all this chaos Rin. I didn't mean for it to go this far, for me to cause the whole family to split apart. I know that we're not really close anymore, and maybe you'd prefer to stay with your friend rather than with me, but I was wondering if you wanted to, you know, just spend some time together. As mother and daughter. We haven't really gotten to do that in a long time and I've missed it."

With the apology and the way her mother seemed to be genuinely apologetic and ashamed of her own behaviour, the floodgates in Rin's eyes shattered and the resent in her heart started to dissipate. She dropped the articles of clothing that she had been folding to the ground and caught her mother in a strong hug.

Both females were pretty emotional characters to begin with, and the intensity of the situation they were in seemed to get to both of them; they had tears pouring down their faces rapidly, and their hands shook. "I'm so sorry Rin for putting you through all this," her mother repeated the apology.

"It's ok mom; what's important is that you're fighting this, and you're going to beat this, I know it."

"The meetings have really been helping, you were right."

"I know I was," Rin laughed shakily, "And I know that this is hard for you! I also know you're strong, and you can beat this, I swear you can! I want you to know that I'm here for you, ok? You're not alone. I'm here and I'll support you through anything and everything. I-I just want you to know that."

"I really don't deserve such a wonderful daughter," her mother laughed shakily as well, clutching tighter at the fabric of Rin's dress.

"I love you mom, and I'm so proud to have you as a mother."

Oh Rinnie, I _really _don't deserve a daughter like you. I've been a terrible mother."

Rin shook her head, mumbling, "No mom, you haven't."

"Yes, I have!"

Rin pulled away slightly and beamed up at her mom. "But you're going to be better, right? You're going to be a great mom!"

Her mother responded by nodding her head vigorously and promising, "I promise that I will do everything to become a better mother. I just wish I could have been that mother when you needed me to be."

"I still need you to be that mother," Rin admitted quietly.

"I love you Rinnie."

"I love you too mom."

By this time, all that was needed to be said in the moment had been said, and both Rin and her mother were satisfied. Both now believed in a better tomorrow, and had higher hopes for recovery; both the recovery of their family and the recovery from alcoholism. They stayed wrapped in the hug for a good portion of time, before they broke apart and wiped away their tears, sniffling. Turning to look up at each other, both beamed widely and could feel within their hearts that everything was going to be ok for both of them.

* * *

_**Author's Note:** Well, there it was! The chapter inspired by a play! I am happy to note that chapter 16 received more reviews than the previous one. Thank you to all of its reviewers: **chibirain94, Sakra-chan, rileyonline, ninbunny alchemist, EndDragon, Hikari Minamoto, catgirl9696, Konoha's White Fang, and Piccylo. **I sincerely hope that you have all enjoyed this chapter. This is the Rin-centric one, but I assure you that we will be getting back to KakaRin very soon! As always, I encourage you all to read and review; reviews filled with concrit are especially appreciated! :)_

_**Chapterly Challenge:** Last chapter's challenges were very successfully completed, and there are a lot of points to be handed out! The answers to the English challenge was, "Twinkle, twinkle, little star," and the answe to the Latin challenge was, "Prepared in mind and resources"._

_Now, let us take a look at our standings, shall we?_

**Chibirain94** - 10

**Catgirl9696** - 15

**Sakra-chan** - 14

**Snappa** - 24

**Hikari Minamoto** - 20

**EndDragon **- 15

**Piccylo** - 20

**JoiZ. D** - 10

**Rileyonline** - 20

**Konoha's White Fang** - 5

_As for this chapter, here are both your Latin and English challenges. Remember that you only need to give the correct answer to one in order to receive five points. Well, here they are:_

**_1) Freedom from incrustations of grime is contiguous to rectitude._**

**_2) Amare et sapere vix deo conceditur._**


	18. Meetings

_**Author's Note:** Hey all! There's not much to say for this chapter - as it has no specific theme - except that it is the third last. That means that yes indeed there will be 20 chapters of Living Arrangements. The whole series should end around May 25th. I'm thinking of possibly taking two weeks to write the last chapter as A) I am becoming increasingly busy B) I wish for it to be tip-top and perfect and C) I'm going to make it over 10,000 words. Anyway, those are all your announcements for this chapter! Hope you enjoy! :)_

Disclaimer: I do _not_ own Naruto.

* * *

The residents of Konoha awoke to a very dark and gloomy Monday morning. Lethargically, they got themselves out of bed, and moved through their houses, preparing themselves both mentally and physically for the terrible day that would start most of their weeks.

Rin woke with a sudden jolt as she rolled unceremoniously off her mother's living room couch. She let out a yelp of surprise and pain, rubbing her head in an effort to soothe it from the beating it sustained due to the hardwood flooring hitting against it. Her eyes became quizzical for a moment as she surveyed her new surroundings. Where was she? Kakashi would have never made her sleep on the ratty old couch. She tilted her head to glance at the couch to the side of her, and noted that it was not ratty at all. In fact, it was one of the nicest leather couches she had ever come across.

Her gaze only turned normal when her mother came rushing into the room, asking her if she was ok. A flood of memories came back to her, and Rin remembered what she was doing in her mother's apartment in the first place.

"Rin, are you ok?" her mother asked worriedly. "I heard a crash, and then you made a loud noise."

"Yeah, mom, I'm fine," Rin assured the older woman. "I just…kind of fell off the couch."

"Oh, well, thank goodness," the woman let out a sigh. "Well, let's have breakfast then, if you're up."

Rin nodded and headed off in the direction of the washroom to freshen herself up before consuming her morning meal. The smell of eggs frying and bread toasting wafted through the apartment, tickling Rin's sense of smell with delight. It had been a while since she'd had a chance to eat a decent breakfast prepared by someone else. That was something she could get used to.

Finishing with her activities in the washroom, Rin headed out towards the kitchen and seated herself down at the head of the table. Rather promptly, her mother emerged from the scene carrying a large pan and plates already filled with food.

"Look, it's your breakfast!" Her mother chirped happily, setting the plate down in front of Rin. "And it's happy to see you!"

Looking strangely at her mother, then looking at her plate, Rin agreed that indeed her breakfast was happy to see her. Two sunny side up eggs served as the face, with the yolks as eyes. A sliced green pepper trailed down the centre of the albumen of the egg, playing the role of the nose. A squiggly strip of bacon ran across the bottom of the eggs, completing the face with a slightly deranged smile. Two pieces of toast with strawberries were placed precariously on the edge of the plate, and there was a bowl of rice next to it.

While the display was without a doubt childish, Rin couldn't help but feel giddy as she regarded her food with apparent eagerness. The gesture on her mother's behalf was appreciated immensely and simple as it was, it provided Rin with more fuel for the hope in her heart.

"Thanks mom," she grinned up at her mother enthusiastically.

"You're welcome," her mother grinned back in the same manner, both their faces looking frighteningly alike.

Both took their seats and dug into their meals, conversing casually as they ate. "Oh," Rin's mother cried, swallowing a piece of toast. "I almost forgot to tell you!"

"What is it?"

"I went to the Hokage a couple of weeks ago, and he told me that if I managed to remain sober and submit myself to numerous drug tests – and come out clean of course – that he would re-instate me as a shinobi."

Rin's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets in surprise and she nearly choked on the rice in her mouth. "You serious?"

"Yep."

"Mom, that's great!" She exclaimed, but part of her couldn't help but disagree. If her mother was reinstated as a shinobi then that would mean that she would have to go back on missions – possibly missions to Earth country or other very dangerous places. Her mother had been away from the shinobi lifestyle for so long, and so much had changed since then – Rin feared that she would be unprepared. Rin wanted to be excited for her, but she also wanted her mother to be safe and alive. _You can't stop her from doing this. She's so excited about it. And that's the life of shinobi. She'll get hurt, but it'll be protecting the village._ Finally, she resolved to just live with it for now, and put on a smile for the moment.

Her mother accepted the deceiving smile with gratitude, and she felt pride swell inside her when she saw her daughter being so supportive. Deciding to start being a bigger part of Rin's life, her mother questioned, "So how is work at the hospital?"

"Work. At the hospital." Rin repeated these words with confusion at first, but her eyes dawned in understanding soon after. "Oh shoot! Work at the hospital! What time is it?" She stood up at an alarmingly fast pace, sending all the blood rushing to her head and making her dizzy.

Her mother appeared stunned for a few moments until she glanced up at the clock. "It's about 10:30, why?"

"Ten thirty? Already? I'm going to be late for my shift!" Taking the last piece of toast and stuffing it in her mouth, Rin made a bound at the door, calling behind her, "Thanks for the breakfast mom! I'll be home in a few hours!"

-

-

-

Kakashi woke up groggily. A family of birds had formed a nest outside his window and were boisterously chirping, determined not to let the inhabitant of the apartment they were nesting on rest. Getting up and walking over to his window, Kakashi rapped on it harshly a few times, trying to show the birds that they should shut up lest they wish to find a nesting place elsewhere. The rapping startled them, and all at once their symphonic choir of chirps ceased.

"Stupid birds," he muttered tiredly, and headed over to the washroom.

While brushing his teeth, Kakashi stepped out of the washroom and headed over to his kitchenette, where he proceeded to fire up the stove and crack a couple of eggs into a pan. He set the pan on the stove and made his way back into the washroom to spit the toothpaste-y contents from his mouth into the sink. Ever so slowly, he finished the rest of his morning rituals and after pulling on a shirt; he sniffed the air, wrinkling his nose at the stench in his apartment. Was that something burning?

As his eyes widened in realization, he bounded into the kitchen and shut off the stove, just barely avoiding having his entire apartment catch fire due to the pair of eggs. "Stupid flammable eggs," he mumbled darkly, throwing the burnt parts of egg into the garbage and pulling out a box of cereal.

Eating slowly and without much purpose – for he didn't really have much of an appetite – Kakashi ploughed through the bowl of cereal in the time span of an hour. Sparing one more glance at the clock, and seeing that it was already 10 in the morning, he decided to head over towards the hospital and wait there for Benjiro's release.

-

-

-

Upon reaching the hospital, Rin punched in her time card, and headed over to the receptionist's desk. "Good Morning," she greeted politely, "I'm here to start my shift."

"Good morning Rin-san," the young male receptionist smiled back, "give me a moment and I'll find your clipboard for you."

The receptionist shuffled around on his swivel chair, lifting piles of papers and searching under stacks of files. After a few minutes, he emerged back into Rin's field of vision, and handed her the clipboard with a smile. "There's not too much work today for you, Rin-san. Your first patient is just about ready to be released."

"Well, a slow day is a good day," Rin responded, taking the clipboard from him along with a stack of patient files and heading over to her first room.

Twisting and turning down familiar hallways, she realized that this was a room she had been in recently. Opening the door to the room, Rin noticed that her patient was the young ANBU who had come in with Kakashi. She slid the door shut behind her and placed the remainder of the patient files into a holder on the back of the door.

"Oh, it's you," Benjiro remarked with surprise when Rin presented herself at his door.

Rin chuckled lightly at his amazed expression and replied, "Good morning to you too Benjiro-san."

At this the boy flushed with embarrassment for a moment, before commenting smoothly, "Good morning Rin. It's always nice to see a happy face so early in the day."

She was surprised at his lack of honorific, but found that she was not offended in the slightest. Relaying to him the information that there was a good chance he'd be released today, she proceeded to begin the final check-up. First she would check the eyes, ears and mouth. Once those were proven to be ok, she checked his muscles, joints, and reflexes.

Halfway through her examination, the door to the room opened, and another figure stepped in. Rin paid no heed to this newcomer at first, for she was certain that s/he was another hospital employee, yet her head snapped up abruptly when she heard Benjiro call out, "Morning Kakashi!"

She looked up at him; he looked down at where she was performing the final examinations. They stared at each other for a little bit before turning their heads back to Benjiro.

Kakashi had no clue what to say. He had come to the hospital thinking that he was just going to grab Benjiro after his release and leave for the border. Rin's working at the hospital had not been factored in to this whole equation and now that he saw her, he hadn't a clue what to do or say. It wasn't like he had a speech planned out in his mind, and he wasn't entirely sure that if he had had a speech, that it would be one of apology. The majority of him believed that what he had done was right; the only thing that made him doubt it was how upset Rin had gotten.

Rin also hadn't a clue of what to say. Two days ago she had gotten into a fairly major argument with him and she'd been very upset, but now that argument seemed like a far off event. After learning the circumstances that surrounded his overworking himself, Rin just couldn't bring herself to feel as angry as before, nor could she bring herself to apologize. No matter what she had done or said, she still felt that all her points were valid, and that reminding him that he needs to keep safe was a good thing to have done.

Since neither had anything to say, and Benjiro was just anxiously awaiting their responses to the other's presence, an awkward silence passed over them. Rin eventually set back to work, staring shyly at her instruments, and neither Kakashi nor Benjiro made any movements or sounds. Finally finished her tests, Rin broke the silence by announcing, "Well Benjiro-san, everything seems to be fine. You're free to go."

Benjiro thanked her and stood up, leaving the room with Kakashi.

-

-

-

Once out of the hospital, Kakashi heaved a sigh and Benjiro stared straight ahead. "Whoa," Benjiro commented, "Can you say _awkward_? Neither of you were saying anything, and then I just had to keep quiet, because I feared that we'd all like spontaneously combust or something from the tension in the air."

He paused his rant to look over at his younger partner who was staring off into some other direction. "And now you're distracted. Hey, are you even listening to me Kakashi?"

At hearing his name, Kakashi's mind reverted back to the one-sided conversation at hand. "Yeah, I'm listening."

"So what are you going to do about it?"

"Hmm?"

"This whole argument thing. What are you going to do about it?"

Kakashi shrugged in answer to Benjiro's question.

"Well you better think of something?"

"Hmm?"

"I said, you'd better think of something. Jeez man, wake up! It's like I'm talking to a brick wall!"

"Hmm?"

Benjiro sighed exasperatedly. "You know what? That's it. We're going to fix this, and we're going to do it before we leave."

"But we need to get back soon. Otherwise, the commander may give us another week's worth of duty."

"This little _issue _that you have with that girl is distracting you. If we don't fix it now, you will continue to be distracted," Benjiro explained slowly as if talking to a young child, "If you continue to be distracted, we won't be alive long enough for you to apologize or to get potentially another week's worth of duty. So yeah, we're going to fix it. Just so you don't get us both killed."

"It's not distracting me," Kakashi insisted stubbornly.

"Sure it's not."

"Hmm?"

Benjiro sighed once more and rubbed his temples. "You just proved my point. Now come on," he said, pulling Kakashi in another direction, "let's go make this girl like you again."

Before Kakashi had a chance to protest, Benjiro had silenced him with a murderous glare and an even tighter grasp on his biceps.

* * *

_**Author's Note:** Well, that's it for this chapter! I guess I left you guys with a bit of a cliffhanger, so you'll have incentive to keep on reading. ;) Thanks to all those that reviewed Chapter 17: **chibirain94, Hikari Minamoto, ninbunny alchemist, rileyonline, Sakra-chan, Konoha's White Fang, JoiZ. D, gumshoe1101, and Piccylo.**_

_**Chapterly Challenge:** Last week's answers were, "Cleanliness is close to godliness," for the English and, "Even a god finds it hard to love and be wise at the same time," for the Latin. Congrats to all those who got it._

_Now, let's take a look at our standings:_

**Chibirain94** - 10

**Catgirl9696** - 15

**Sakra-chan** - 15

**Snappa** - 24

**Hikari Minamoto** - 25

**EndDragon **- 15

**Piccylo** - 25

**JoiZ. D** - 15

**Rileyonline** - 25

**Konoha's White Fang** - 10

_Without further ado, here are your Latin and English challenges. Remember that you only need to give the correct answer to one to be rewarded five points. Here they are:_

_**1) Individuals who make their abode in vitreous edifices would be advised to refrain from catapulting petrous projectiles.**_

_**2) Tu ne cede malis sed contra audentior ito.**_


	19. MakeUp

_**Author's Note:** Hey guys! Whoot, I've had this chapter planned out for a while! (like all my other ending chapters.) It's not very mushy - IMO - so hopefully you all enjoy! And I made a mistake last chapter. I know that I said that I would post the 20th and final chapte in 2 weeks, but it will actually be in three. I forgot to take into account the fact that I am going on a trip next week. So sorry guys! Please enjoy this chapter though!_

Disclaimer: I do _not _own Naruto.

* * *

"Where the hell are we going?" Kakashi demanded, while trying to free his arm.

"Like I said, we're going to fix this problem," Benjiro replied nonchalantly, still having a hold of Kakashi's arm.

"We don't have time," Kakashi protested exasperatedly, "We need to get to the border."

Benjiro ignored Kakashi's protests entirely, turning down another street rapidly.

Kakashi heaved a sigh. "Can you at least let me walk by myself?"

Again Benjiro gave no response, but released Kakashi's arm and continued walking. Seeing that there was no way Benjiro would ever let him leave for the border without making an apology, Kakashi trailed along darkly.

"You know," he said just out of spite to Benjiro, "the hospital is in the opposite direction."

At this, Benjiro turned around and grinned mischievously, and Kakashi could just see the gears in his mind turning furiously, plotting out ways to maximize the effect of the apology. "Who said we were going to the hospital? You're right. We don't have enough time for you to muster up some courage and actually verbally apologize, so me being the genius I am, have thought up a great alternative."

"And what great alternative is this, oh wonderful one?" Kakashi muttered sarcastically.

"It's this!" Benjiro exclaimed, pointing to a store Kakashi had never noticed before.

The exterior of the building looked like any storefront in Konoha, but the interior was another story. Pink hearts and red drapes adorned every window and ceiling. Flowers, rings, cards, and other random gifts were proudly placed on display, glitter surrounding their pedestals in the windows.

"I know," Benjiro grinned, "You love me, right?"

Kakashi, through half-lidded lazy eyes glanced from the store to Benjiro and back again, heaving a sigh in the process. "I should have just left you for dead."

"Oh, come on! This place is great! I mean everything you need to apologize with is in here! Now let's head inside! There isn't much time!"

Excitedly, Benjiro headed inside, while Kakashi trailed along reluctantly. This had to be the worst looking store he had ever gone in. Benjiro's idea had to be the worst he'd ever encountered. Speaking of the devil, where was he? Kakashi searched through the aisles of pink, glittery, flowery gifts and finally found Benjiro conversing with an old man by the card aisles.

"There you are!" Benjiro cried happily to Kakashi. "I was worried you'd gotten lost in here. Look at this," he held up a card and what appeared to be a little cassette, "this old man found it for me! I think it's exactly what we're looking for!"

"Forget it. We need to leave. Now."

"You see? This is your problem. You put your missions above your friends. No wonder that girl's pissed at you if you're always acting like such a jerk."

If it had been a normal day, and Kakashi had been with a normal person, he would have attacked them the minute they said such a thing, but for some reason – be it whether it was not a normal day or Benjiro was not a normal person – Kakashi ended up feeling guilty instead of offended.

"Fine," he sighed giving in, "what do you have in your hand?"

"Knew you'd come around! Well, since we don't have time to track her down and get you to apologize in person, here's a cassette tape where you can record your apology!"

"Fine. Hand it over."

Benjiro complied with the request, smiling all the while. This had to be the best idea he'd ever had! And it was the perfect day too! Shooing Kakashi away into a silent corner, he waited patiently for the younger ANBU to speak his apology into the tape. He was astonished, to say the least, when Kakashi walked back over to him mere seconds later.

"Done already?" Benjiro inquired.

Kakashi shook his head. "I messed up my apology. Get me a new tape."

Benjiro stared strangely at the boy, but went to back to the card rack and fetched Kakashi another tape. How was it possible to mess up an apology in such a short amount of time? Why, he couldn't have even said more than a few words! Bringing the tape back over, Kakashi took it from him thankfully and headed back over to his corner to continue with formulating his apology. Benjiro again waited patiently for him to finish.

He quickly found out that it would take longer than expected.

After the first fifteen times that Kakashi demanded a new tape be brought over, Benjiro began to get frustrated and insisted that he go along with Kakashi to help him think up the perfect apology. With no other option, Kakashi agreed and the two set to work.

-

-

-

"Kakashi apology tape, take 28," Benjiro breathed, his eyes threatening to close. He had long since lost the excitement originally felt at the prospect of seeing Kakashi apologize, mainly because the Hatake boy had gone through 28 tapes and 2 hours worth of apologizing and he was still nowhere.

Kakashi shot a glare back at the tired boy and leaned back against the counter. "You brought this upon yourself, you know. You just _had _to insist I apologize _before_ we leave."

"I didn't think you'd be so slow! I figured it would take you ten minutes to think up something decent, five to get the courage to do it, and about three to actually apologize. I didn't realize you'd be writing like your life's novel here!"

"I didn't write my life's novel. Now shut up." Unbeknownst to Kakashi, when he had leaned against the counter, he had accidentally hit the record button and all of the argument he was having, was now being recorded.

"You're right. You haven't even said more than a couple of sentences! That's even worse!"

The both of them fell silent for a few moments, glaring daggers at each other, until Kakashi turned around and took out a pad of paper on which he started writing the new apology. He never would have guessed that it would be this hard just to say 'sorry' to someone. Having never really apologized before – he'd said it, just never meant it – and not sure if he should be apologizing now – though he didn't want to be on bad terms with Rin – Kakashi discovered that apologizing was indeed quite a difficult task.

He scribbled down a few sentences every time an idea popped into his head, and after a few minutes had a rough draft.

"Okay, how does this sound?" He called Benjiro's attention back to him. "I'm sorry for arguing with you, but I had my reasons. Being ANBU and keeping my promises are important to me, and I hope you can understand and respect that."

Benjiro looked at Kakashi with a stoic expression. "That's probably the worst apology I've ever heard. You pretty much just said that you're sorry for being right."

"Well, let's hear you come up with one if you're so smart."

"I could, but it wouldn't be genuine from you then."

"Stop your complaining and suggest something already."

"How about this? I'm sorry Rin. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I understand that you're only looking out for me because you care. I'll try to take better care of myself. Thank you for being there for me. Sorry again."

Kakashi wrinkled his nose in disgust. "I'm saying an apology, not a marriage proposal."

"Oh don't be such a little kid Kakashi! You screwed up royally, so you have to make up royally for it. Now get on with it, or else the commander really will assign us an extra week of duty. You know, if it makes you feel any better, think about it this way: You could die at the border. This may be the last thing she hears you say. Make it good."

"You're not helping."

Kakashi turned around and set back to work. There was no way he would be defeated by a little apology letter. He didn't want to sound sappy – because he wasn't – but he didn't want to sound too impartial either. It was finding the balance between the two that stumped him. Scribbling a few other things down, he turned back around to relay them to Benjiro.

"Thanks for all your help. Sorry I yelled. Hope you're not mad."

Benjiro actually appeared mildly interested for the first time. "It took you that long to come up with that?! And they call you a genius! Geez Hatake."

"So is it good?"

"I think it's as good as it's going to get."

Kakashi nodded in understanding, secretly agreeing with Benjiro, and began to recite his apology.

"Come on," Benjiro said, "You're taking too long to rehearse."

"Shut the hell up, man. It was your idea to come here in the first place! Now you've got to accept the consequences of your actions."

"Never will I try to do something nice for someone again."

"Man, I said shut the hell up!"

A few more painful minutes passed – for Benjiro – and Kakashi finished rehearsing his apology letter of literally 12 words. He moved to press the tape recorder's button on, when he realized that it had been on for the past little while. "Uh…hi…" He started out, but found he couldn't continue. All the incessant blabbering that had gone on between the two boys for god only knows how long had been recorded! To someone like Kakashi, this was very disturbing.

"Go on, you can do it!" Benjiro falsely cheered from behind.

"No, I can't. It's been recording all this time. Who knows what's on that tape? We need to get a new one so we can start off fresh."

"Like hell we're getting a new one! I've waited here too long already!" Benjiro cried and pushed Kakashi aside, speaking into the tape recorder himself.

"Hi Rin, Benjiro here. You probably heard me and Kakashi's bickering at the beginning and while that doesn't really make a decent apology, we can't get a new tape. I think you'll just have to appreciate what he says. He's been creating this apology for around oh, three hours now, and I think he's used up all his brain cells. He's almost used up all his cash, that's for sure. There are 27 other tapes that we've gone through on which he hasn't been able to say anything. I really can't let him buy another tape because if he does, he won't have enough money to buy food for himself, and me being the responsible teen I am, can't let him go hungry. So perhaps you'll just have to appreciate what he says now."

"What are you doing?" Came Kakashi's voice, "You're wasting the tape!"

"Ah calm down, Kakashi!" A few crashing noises were heard and then Benjiro let out a yelp. "Fine! I'm going to get lunch! When I'm done, you'd better be done as well!"

The slamming of a door was recorded before a breathless Kakashi headed back over to the tape recorder. "Yo, it's me. I know you know who me is. Anyway, just wanted to say sorry for well, yelling at you I guess. You're just trying to help. Um, hopefully you're not mad. Well, anymore I mean."

Kakashi paused and looked around, only to find people staring at him strangely. "Oh, great. I think you should know: people are staring at me and most probably think that I've gone crazy because at the moment, it looks like I'm apologizing to a cassette player. Anyway, um yeah, sorry."

Another long pause before Kakashi was hit with the next idea. "This is going to sound weird, but sorry for being sort of hypocritical too. "I know that I said that one should never run away from a difficult situation. I still believe that, but there's a problem with what I've said. No matter where you go, you're running away from something. If you run towards something, you're just running away from something else. It can't be helped."

Spacing out for a few minutes, he thought about what he just said and realized the veracity of it all. In truth, everyone was running away. Her, sensei, Benjiro, even him. It just wasn't something that could be helped. When he finally snapped out of his reverie, more than five minutes had passed in which nothing but the background chatter of other customers in the store could be heard.

"So yeah, I guess that I just wanted to say sorry. Hopefully you'll forgive me." He ended his apology abruptly, but it had dragged on long enough. There were some stuff on it that he felt didn't sound like him, and some stuff he'd rather have omitted, but perhaps he'd get brownie points for saying that stuff.

It was a good thing he managed to finish then too, because only moments later, Benjiro walked back in, a pick sticking out between his teeth. "So you finally finished huh? Good job Hatake."

Kakashi nodded. "You done with your lunch? Can we go now?"

"Yup!" Benjiro chimed. "Unlike you, I have great time management skills. I have not only eaten lunch, but also ordered Rin's presents."

"Presents? You bought her a present? Why?"

"Oh, I didn't buy her a present." Benjiro answered flippantly. "Technically, _you_ bought her a present."

"What?!"

"Oh calm down, jumpy! They're just flowers! Happy Valentine's Day, Kakashi!" He winked down at the younger boy.

"I hate you. You bought flowers? And on Valentine's? Why the hell would you buy flowers? I don't buy people flowers. That's just not me. Now you're going to go around making her think that I like her or something."

The look Kakashi received from his partner was one that clearly wondered, 'And you don't like her?'

"That's besides the point," Kakashi told him, but quickly tacked on as soon as he noticed Benjiro's devious, knowing smile, "but I don't! Not like that anyway."

"No, of course you don't. You can't possibly like her in _that_ way. That's why you came here after all. On Valentine's. Postponing a mission. To tell her an apology. One that took you three hours to compose. No, you can't possibly like her, you're right. I must be delusional."

Kakashi sighed heavily and mumbled a, "Shut up," before walking to the cashier. To contest Benjiro on his suspicions would not only require much effort on his behalf, but also it would be pointless. Benjiro was one of those people who just took advantage of peoples' "denial" and used the point against them. To argue with Benjiro would be tiring and would get Kakashi nowhere.

Benjiro trailed behind him, snickering occasionally. Before Kakashi hit the cashier stand though, he pulled him over and directed him towards the card section. "Choose one," Benjiro commanded.

Kakashi sorted through the cards before he settled for a blank one with a picture of a sunflower on it. The card was plain, simple, and didn't give off any wrong hints. He attached the small cassette to the card and went up to pay for it. Benjiro simply stood beside him, silent for the most part; only speaking to tell the old man at the cash to deliver the card to Rin. Conveniently, the man knew of Rin and said that he would take the card to her.

The two ANBU members quitted the store shortly after, and Kakashi seemed to be dead set on brooding while in Benjiro's presence. Apparently the flower stunt hadn't gone over well with him. "Hey, cheer up buttercup," Benjiro teased, "I only got her one sunflower!"

Ok, so Benjiro hadn't said that he was joking about the flowers, but Kakashi still considered one sunflower infinitely better than say, a bouquet of roses or something equally as uncharacteristic. Hopefully, Rin wouldn't be tricked into thinking that he liked her when she received them.

-

-

-

Rin was vacuuming her and her mother's living space when a loud knock on the door made her stop. She shut off the apparatus and slid open her door, only to be met with the rather annoyed looking face of a young female. The girl had tanned skin, dirty blonde hair and green-blue eyes; she didn't look a day over 13.

"Hello," Rin greeted politely.

"Are you Ryne?" The girl questioned.

"Excuse me?"

The younger girl huffed and repeated, "Are you Ryne? I have a package here for Ryne."

"Oh, you mean Rin! Yes, that would be me. Who is the package from?" Rin questioned. She really hadn't been expecting anything from anyone.

"Package for you from Haytaykee Kaykayshy."

"Sorry, from whom?"

"Haytaykee Kaykayshy."

"Oh!" She exclaimed, understanding whom it was from at once. "Yes, that must be for me then." Signing the sheet that the girl had given her saying that she received the package, Rin took the wrapped entity from the young girl's hands and shut the door calmly behind her.

Heading over to the couch, she set the package down. It was very plain and simple looking, but just the fact that it was for her – and it had come on _Valentine's_ – made it a big deal. Rin's heart pounded in her chest, anticipation and excitement seeping into her every motion.

The first thing she noticed as she unwrapped her package was that there was a card attached. It had a very simple sunflower picture on it, and on the inside there was nothing written. There was simply a tape recorder with a small tape inside. She sat down, forgetting all about her cleaning duties, and hit play.

At first there was nothing, but slowly, she heard the distant voices of Kakashi and Benjiro bickering, more teasingly than seriously. She grew easily and steadily tired of hearing them curse and yell at one another, and was about to shut off the tape recorder angrily and get back to her chores, when she heard Kakashi begin to apologize. The apology sounded extremely strange coming from him and a few moments later, she heard Benjiro make the comment that he had no clue how to apologize to anyone.

The tape continued on in the same manner with some apologizing, some cursing, and some bickering. Then a crashing noise was heard and the slamming of a door was too; seconds later, Kakashi was the only voice that came through on the tape and he was saying the actual apology.

Rin listened to the entirety of the tape – for there was a lot of pausing – and found that by the end of it she was ready to forgive the whole incident. Even though she knew that Benjiro was probably the one who had pushed Kakashi into making the apology, she still appreciated it because he had actually agreed to do it – and according to Benjiro, had spent nearly all his free time and money doing it.

Putting the card and the tape aside – as well as ignoring the butterflies in her stomach – Rin opened the rest of the package and found within it one single sunflower. She just had to smile; sunflowers were her favourites. Gingerly, she removed the flower from its packaging and placed it in the vase by her windowsill.

-

-

-

It was awkward the first time they met again after his week at the border. He had been heading over to the hospital to see if she'd received the card – and to get some minor healing done – while she'd been walking towards his apartment to see if he was back – and if he needed any healing. They'd met halfway in the middle of the street, and found that neither had anything to say.

The silence was awkward yet refreshing in a way and Rin finally broke it by asking, "Are you home for the week?"

He responded by nodding.

"Are you injured?"

Again another nod.

"Would you like me to heal your injury?"

He shrugged.

She just smiled. "Alright, we'll have to go back to your apartment then."

He turned around and walked alongside of her.

"I got the card and flowers by the way. They were lovely. Thank you."

It seemed to make him a little uncomfortable to hear about the gifts being talked about openly – this was defined by the way he stiffened at the mention of them. However, he gave a little smile and nodded, glad that she didn't think something different about them than was intended – or if she did, she didn't show it.

They reached the familiar apartment rather quickly and Rin instructed Kakashi to lie down. He did as he was told and she kneeled beside his mattress, using antiseptic, gauze, and chakra to heal his battle injuries.

Once she was done, Rin posed a few polite questions as to how his life was going, and the awkwardness surrounding them soon dissipated. Perhaps it was because they felt comfortable in the apartment they'd shared for the past few months, or perhaps it was because they weren't fighting anymore. Whatever the reason, both felt exponentially better by the end of the visit – which was ended due to Rin's hospital shift.

Kakashi offered to walk with her there, and so the two set back out onto the streets of Konoha. On the way there, Rin had a surprise encounter with her mother, who was currently bouncing up and down joyously.

"Mom! What are you doing here?"

"Oh Rin! It's great news! Hokage-sama reinstated me as a shinobi today!"

"Are you serious? Mom, that's great news!" Rin had long accepted the fact that her mother would always try to get back to being a shinobi, and the only thing she could really do was support her and offer any advice in medicine and training for missions.

"Yup, I know! He said that for now I'll only be given C and D-ranks because I've been off duty for a while, but I'm still so excited!"

"Oh mom! So am I! I'm so proud of you!" The two females shared a hug, leaving Kakashi to feel like a third wheel.

When Rin's mother pulled away, she noticed Kakashi's presence and decided to inquire about the boy. "And who might you be?" She asked him.

"I…"

"Mom, this is my friend, Hatake Kakashi," Rin introduced.

"Very nice to meet you!"

Kakashi gave a low bow.

"And you're so polite too! What a fine young man!"

"Mom…" Rin groaned in embarrassment.

"What? He is! Anyway Rinnie, I just came by to tell you that I'll be gone for training every other week. I thought that since I'll be gone for that time, you might want to stay with that friend you lived with before."

"Oh, um, yeah. I mean, I'd have to ask my friend, to make sure I'm not imposing or anything, but that's a good idea, mhm."

"Well, of course you'd have to ask, and you could always stay home, but I thought you might like to have company." Her mother agreed. "Well Rinnie, I've got to go back home and get ready! I start tomorrow! It'd be good to find your friend and talk to him/her soon! Oh, and it was nice meeting you Kakashi." With that said, Rin's mother took off towards her house.

"So, what are you going to do?" Kakashi asked.

"Huh?" Rin took a little while before cluing in. "Oh! Um, I don't know. It seems fairly convenient what with her being gone one week and you being gone the next. But if I'd be imposing…"

"As long as you don't make me buy another mattress again…" Although he had said this in a deadpan manner, Rin could tell that he was just joking.

"Fine. I'll haul mine back and forth."

"Then no, you wouldn't be imposing at all." Kakashi explained. He would never say it out loud, but it would be nice to have someone else living in the apartment again. Getting accustomed to living by himself after she left to go live with her mother had proven to be more difficult a task than originally imagined.

"Good," she grinned. "Now let's get to the hospital before they grill me for being late for my shift."

The two recommenced their walking, and Rin started talking again. "You know something?"

"I know many things."

"I didn't think I would, but I've really missed you Kakashi."

"Hm."

* * *

_**Author's Note:**_ _Thank you to all the readers! Hope that you have all enjoyed this thus far! Next chapter shall indeed be the last, so hopefully you're not all too sad! :P Thanks to all those who reviewed chapter 18: **chibirain94, Konoha's White Fang, Piccylo, JoiZ. D, rileyonline, Frog Lady, Sasukekunlover, ninbunny alchemist, Hikari Minamoto, Sakra-chan, and catgirl9696.** As always, I encourage all my readers to leave concrit reviews, as they are much appreciated._

_**Chapterly Challenge:**_ _Alright guys, time for another one! (Our second last) In the event of a tie after the final chapter, I will PM each of the tied people and we will have a sudden death round. As for last week's challenges, the English one was, "People in glass homes should throw no stones," and the Latin was, "Yield not to misfortunes, but advance all the more boldly against them". _

_Now, to see our standings:_

**Chibirain94** - 11

**Catgirl9696** - 15

**Sakra-chan** - 15

**Snappa** - 24

**Hikari Minamoto** - 30

**EndDragon **- 15

**Piccylo** - 30

**JoiZ. D** - 20

**Rileyonline** - 30

**Konoha's White Fang** - 15

_And now, the moment you have all been waiting for, this week's challenge(s)!_

_**1) Surveillance should precede aviation.**_

_**2) Docendo discimus.**_


	20. Epilogue: Part 1

_**Authoress' Note:** Wow...hi guys. I know that this update took very, very long to put up, and I aologize for that, but I have not had one moment of free time in the past few months. I've been working at this part in increments for about 2 months now. So yeah. This is only the first part of the Epilogue; the second should be out in about 2 weeks. I just didn't want to make everyone wait even longer. If my writing style seems to change partway and adopts a very girly sense that you have not seen from me yet, blame it on all the shoujo manga I've been reading lately. XD Seriously. That stuff is addicting. Well, that's it for this AN. Hope you enjoy the chapter! Please leave a review with your thoughts and concrit at the end! :D_

Disclaimer: I do _not_ own Naruto.

* * *

**Epilogue: Three Months Later (May)**

The vibrant spring sun shone brightly throughout all of Konoha, bathing its inhabitants in the warmth it emitted. The central shopping district was crowded with citizens, all possessing large grins on their faces while searching the streets for their desired shops.

Kakashi and Benjiro were among the many walking through the shopping district, trying to get out onto the more spacious streets of the eatery district, where there would, without a doubt, be a lower population density. The pair breathed a sigh of relief as they emerged onto the strip where many cafes, pastry shops, and bakeries claimed their location.

Kakashi spotted one of the less popular – but his preferred – drink stands, and motioned to Benjiro to follow him. "Let's get a drink."

Benjiro nodded and continued walking along with him. "Yeah, I'm absolutely parched. The sun's so hot today, and these navy clothes are so impractical," he flapped both his arms, which were contained in the navy cloth of Konoha's shinobi uniform. "I feel like a walking heat magnet."

The two stopped directly in front of the small juice stand, Kakashi looking at Benjiro while Benjiro stared wide-eyed at the stand. "We can't go in there," he notified Kakashi fearfully.

"Why not? You forgot to pay your tab last time or something?"

"No, we just can't go in there. Let's choose another place."

Kakashi was just about to inquire as to why he would be forced to go to a different stand when a feminine voice called their names and a figure nearly toppled him over.

"Benjiro! Kakashi! There you two are!" Rin's familiar voice rang out tiredly, and she was seen bent over, panting heavily, her rosy cheeks expanding and deflating as they took in and let out air. "I've been looking for the two of you all over," she exclaimed after she caught her breath. "You both left before I came back with breakfast, and I even told you guys to wait for me!"

Ever since Benjiro had pretty much become Kakashi's permanent border partner, he had been spending a lot more time with Kakashi and Rin. Not really having many friends in his age group, he felt very appreciative of the silent friendship of Kakashi and the cheerful acceptance of Rin. As of late, he had even taken to sleeping on the couch in Kakashi's apartment when they came back from a lengthy and strenuous week at the border. While both of them would sleep, Rin would come around to patch up their various wounds and injuries.

"Sorry," Benjiro remarked, smiling sheepishly and rubbing the back of his neck, "we didn't hear you." He then turned back to face the juice stand, eyeing it fearfully with renascence.

"Why are we standing in front of the juice stand anyway? Let's just go in," Rin said.

"I wanted to as well, but Benjiro refuses to," explained Kakashi.

"Why?"

Kakashi shrugged.

Rin followed Benjiro's gaze and stared at the juice stand as well. She saw a few people come into her field of vision, but one stood out more than the others. It took her a couple of moments to realize just what Benjiro was nervous about, and when it dawned on her she smiled back at him with a look of sympathy in her eyes. "Ah…I get it."

"What?" Benjiro and Kakashi chorused.

"You like her, don't you?"

"Huh?!" Benjiro looked completely shocked. "How'd you know?"

"Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?" Kakashi sighed exasperatedly.

Rin whispered her findings to him, and when the realization dawned on Kakashi as well, he rolled his eyes. "Are you serious? You like the juice stand lady and so you won't go in there? That's really pathetic."

Rin shot him a look for his insensitive comment, then turned back to Benjiro. "Don't pay attention to Kakashi; it's not pathetic," she smiled encouragingly.

"No, he's right," Benjiro sighed depressingly; it seemed like a rain cloud just passed right over him, "I am pathetic. I can't even confront her…and even if I could, I wouldn't know what to say, or how to act…"

Rin, being the kind person she was, decided to take pity on Benjiro and remove him from this obviously stressful situation. Perhaps she'd even get him to let her know more about this girl he liked, and from that, it could be determined how he should go about talking with her. "Come on Benjiro," she said, taking the older boy by the shoulders, "let's go get some lunch or something."

-

-

-

Once the three of them found a place to eat, sat down, and ordered, Rin began prodding Benjiro for more information about the young girl from the juice stand.

"What's her name?" Rin inquired.

"Ayumi…" Benjiro answered.

"How long have you known her for?"

"Six years…what's up with all the questions?"

"Just answer. How'd you meet her?"

"She was on my genin team…"

"Were you friends?"

"Yeah…"

"Ok. Now, what do you plan to do about liking her?"

"I don't know…I guess admire from a distance is best."

"Benjiro! You have to be proactive if you're going to get her!"

"I can't just tell her I like her."

"Why not? Just practice telling me; you'll see how easy it is!" Rin exclaimed determinedly.

Benjiro went wide-eyed for a few moments before returning to his miserable state; this time though, he was willing to give Rin's idea a try. He scooted down so that he sat directly across from her, stared right into her eyes and spoke. "Ayumi-chan?"

Rin feigned the part of a friend bordering on girlfriend, responding to his stare. "Yes, Benjiro-kun?"

At this point, Benjiro's mind started packing on the delusions. Rin's short light brown hair turned to long, black hair; her sepia irises turned to a vibrant emerald green, and her face became thinner, longer, and more delicate. Too confused by his delusions, Benjiro felt as though he really were telling Ayumi that he liked her. His face turned bright red all of a sudden and he broke the gaze with Rin and looked down at his feet, shaking his head back and forth.

"Well, that was absolutely pathetic," Kakashi's coldly blunt voice cut through the delusion like a knife, forcing Benjiro to come back to reality.

"Kakashi!" Rin hissed from across the table, "be nice!"

"I'm just telling the truth. Seriously, just give up if you're going to be so pathetic about it Benjiro."

"Huh?" Benjiro questioned, looking around him dazedly. "Oh…yeah…I guess I should just give-"

The slamming of fists against the table was heard and both boys stared up at Rin in shock. "No, you can't just give up like that! No matter what Kakashi, Ayumi, or anyone says, you can't give up! If you like her this much, you should at least try!"

"Rin, I'm sorry – I didn't mean to upset you by my words…it's just that-"

She cut him off again. "…Whenever I felt upset or overwhelmed or I couldn't do something right, Obito would always tell me not to give up. Because of him, I learnt the importance of always trying…because of him, I learnt how to keep going," she leaned over the table, fists clenching, and stared at him, her sepia eyes seemingly boring holes through Benjiro's face, "People are always going to discourage you, and people are always going to say that you can't do something, but you can't listen to them! If you do, you let them win! They just say those things because people don't want you doing anything they can't do! You're better than them, though! You have to prove them wrong!"

"Yeah…yeah, you're right!" Benjiro agreed after a few moments of stunned silence. "I can do this!"

Lunch ended soon after, and the three decided (more like Rin decided for everyone) to head back to the shopping district.

-

-

-

The many shops and boutiques littering the streets with their clothes and tools and toys were always seen as a welcoming site to both shinobi and civilians alike. Their bright colours and animated sales people lit up the entire strip of land and created an aura of busy happiness.

Rin immediately dragged the boys off towards the market where not only were they selling groceries, but also home appliances. She claimed that the microwave had suffered too much from Kakashi's escapades with the instant ramen, and now absolutely refused to function. Kakashi immediately countered that it was none of her business whether the microwave was functioning or not, as she was not the individual inhabiting his apartment.

Yes, yes, she agreed, but countered back that for two weeks every month, she in fact inhabited the apartment and it was important to her that she had some available method besides the neighbours' apartments to heat up food. That, and the rugged state the microwave in his apartment was currently in could develop to be a fire hazard.

Noticing that more arguing would get him nowhere, for once Rin set her mind to something it would be done, Kakashi conceded at last and allowed her to shop around until she dropped of exhaustion.

It took Rin a few hours, but she finally managed to locate the perfect microwave. The moment she had walked in the store and seen it, her eyes had lit up and she felt it in her heart that it was the one. Looking at the price tag though, she deflated. Although Kakashi was not in the right to want to keep his current microwave, he certainly should not have to pay that much money just to satisfy her needs.

Even if they were to split the bill (which he almost always refused now), it would still be a considerable sum taken from their paychecks; not that there weren't missions readily available to replenish their monetary funds, but rather that the payment for missions had gone down while the price of goods had inflated.

Deflated and discouraged, she was about to walk out of the store when Kakashi and Benjiro came in behind her. "What are you looking at?" they asked.

"Nothing," she replied hastily, turning around so that she was with her back to the microwave, "let's get out of here."

Walking behind her, Benjiro and Kakashi exchanged a look. What had happened to her in the span of the five seconds she was in the store? What caused her to suddenly become so downtrodden? Looking behind them, they noticed that there was a microwave, a shiny black microwave with sleek, silver lines outlining the frame, perched atop a shelf. They were unable to comprehend how such a wonderful looking device could have served to make Rin depressed; if anything, its sleekness and contemporary look should have caused her to squeal with delight!

Benjiro was the first to have his curiosity take the better of him. He walked to where the microwave was, studied it, and then reviewed the price tag on the item. Whoa. His eyes widened in surprise; there was _no_ way a microwave could cost _that_ much. Moving back to walk with Kakashi, he told him, "Yeah. I can see what depressed her. That microwave is the most friggin expensive piece of machinery I've ever seen! Like, it must be able to turn invisible or something too, because if it's just a regular microwave, then it wouldn't cost that much!"

"Don't be ridiculous. Invisible microwaves," Kakashi scoffed, "what are you? Crazy?"

"Not as crazy as that shopkeeper is to charge that much for a microwave!"

A few metres in front of them, Rin called back, "You boys coming or what?!"

-

-

-

After spending a rather exhausting day microwave shopping (among other shopping) the three young shinobi headed on home, all the while surreptitiously discussing more about Benjiro's current issue.

"So, do you plan on facing her and telling her?" Rin asked.

"At some point in time, yeah," Benjiro replied.

"Do you think you could just say something like a simple hello to her if you were to see her?"

"Probably. With the pep talk you gave me at lunch Rin, I feel like I can do almost anything!"

"That's the spirit!" Rin encouraged, holding her hand up for a high five, which Benjiro only too gladly returned.

Inching ever closer to the eatery district (for it was on the way home) Rin suddenly stopped and side-glanced at Kakashi. "Hey Kakashi, I don't know about you, but I'm feeling a little," she paused to smack her lips together, "thirsty. What do you say we go get a drink?"

Being the genius he was, it took Kakashi no more than a couple of seconds to understand the hidden meaning behind her words. "Now that you mention it, I'm a little thirsty too…"

Rin grinned back at him before turning to give a sly look at Benjiro. "Well, then let's all three of us go get a drink."

Before poor Benjiro could even ascertain what was going on, Rin yanked her arm around his and began tugging him in the direction of the juice stand. Once seated, Benjiro's crush, Ayumi, came around to serve them. "Hello," she greeted them in a bored tone with a small smile that did not quite reach her eyes, "what can I get you today?"

Rin looked over expectantly at Benjiro, waiting for him to say something, but all his mouth seemed to be capable of doing was opening and closing itself. Sighing resignedly, she turned her gaze back to Ayumi and politely replied, "We'd like to get a small cup of juice please."

"What flavour?"

"Eh, orange please."

"Coming right up," Ayumi sighed, her voice filled with boredom.

When she brought the drinks back around and served it to the three, she stopped for a moment to look at Benjiro. "Hey, do I know you?" she asked, "You look kind of familiar."

Benjiro froze stiffly in his seat. "Uh…uh…"

"His name's Benjiro," Kakashi supplied lazily, "and he's a loser."

"I am not!" Benjiro retorted, now snapped out of his daze.

Ayumi let out a small chuckle and threw her hair over her shoulders. "Benjiro, huh? You were from my genin team then, right?"

"Ye-Yeah."

"Ah, nice to see that at least one of you are still alive."

It took a couple of minutes, but with some input on Rin and Kakashi's part as well as ample encouragement from Rin in the form of thumbs-up signs under the table, Benjiro was able to finally start a conversation with his former teammate. Once the two got to talking about the old days with their genin team, a topic that seemed to bring them happiness, Rin and Kakashi decided to take it as a sign to leave the two of them alone. Besides, all this talk about three-man cells and team members was making them a little more than uncomfortable.

-

-

-

That night, just about the time when Rin and Kakashi were planning on going to sleep, there was a powerful knock on the door. Slightly alarmed, because no one in their right mind should be knocking on doors at this ungodly hour, Kakashi proceeded to the doorway with extreme caution. He released the lock slowly and opened the door just a smidge when…**WHAM! BAM! SLAM!** _Thud._

"What the hell is going on here?!" Rin called out, entering the main hallway with her kunai at the ready. The sight she encountered, however, was not one of peril or crime. In the hallway, sprawled out and entangled, were the bodies of Benjiro and Kakashi. At the mere sight of such an awkward position, Rin burst out laughing, kunai forgotten as it fell to the floor with a _clang_.

"Get the hell off me," Kakashi growled, now propped up on his elbows, cheeks tinted with embarrassment.

"Okay!" Benjiro chirped and complied.

"Benjiro, what are you so cheerful about?" Rin giggled.

The young man in question pulled Kakashi to his feet with one hand, grabbed a hold of Rin's shoulder's with the other, and pulled the two younger shinobi against him. "You guys are my best friends!"

"…" Kakashi threw Benjiro a wary, uncertain glance, as if trying to decide whether he was dangerously insane or not.

"I take it that means you had a good time with Ayumi-san tonight?" Rin winked, poking him in the side with her elbow.

Once Benjiro was calmer and was sitting down in a spot where he could execute no harm to his surroundings, Rin made him spill all details about his night. He quickly grew hyperactive and excited, and began to spew out every single phrase that had been uttered. Rin listened raptly to his account of the event, making the occasional giddy comment, and was almost as dazzled and excited as he was by the time he had finished telling her and Kakashi.

Kakashi on the other hand, was not as amused. "I honestly don't know what you see in her. At the beginning she was totally impolite and looked at us more as if we were a bother. Her tone was bored and superior, and she moved about so lazily."

"Gee," remarked Rin in a rather sarcastic manner and threw a pointed look at him, obviously perturbed by how quickly he could deflate someone's high spirits, "I wonder who your description reminds me of."

"Haha," came the equally sarcastic retort from Kakashi.

Benjiro looked back and forth between the two now brooding, glaring faces, and began to feel a little wary and nervous. A fight this late at night was most definitely not in his plans. "Hey guys, chill," he laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head, "yeah, I get what Kakashi said though. She's really nice once you get to know her, I swear! She's just not much of a people person."

"Obviously," Kakashi snorted.

"Anyway," Benjiro continued unfazed, "she invited me to hang out with her tomorrow again!"

"Yes!" Rin cheered. "You're already at the point of hanging out!"

"Yeah, but even though I'm really excited, I'm also really anxious," he confessed, "I'm scared that I won't know what to say or what to do…or even worse, I'll clam up completely and my palms will begin sweating and then…then…" He groaned. "I can't do this."

"Sure you can! Besides, Kakashi and I will be here to help you out! We'll coach you on everything you need to know to win a girl's heart!"

"Man, seriously, it's not rocket science. How hard is it to buy a girl some flowers and tell her she's pretty? That's all you need to do," Kakashi advised.

"And you'd know this how…? From your ample experience with giving girls flowers and telling them they're pretty?" Benjiro regarded Kakashi sceptically.

"Hey, hey, no arguing this late at night! We'll sleep for now; tomorrow, before your hang out, your training begins," Rin informed Benjiro. "By the way, what time is your hang out?"

"10 AM."

"Training starts bright and early at 0600 hours then!"

-

-

-

The next morning, at exactly 0600 hours, the outline of two figures slumped over a dining table chair, clutching mugs of steaming coffee could be seen through the window of Kakashi's apartment. Still not fully awake (and threatening to doze off again at any given time), they sat, eyes drooping and postures slipping, looking lazily at a standing figure who was shouting instructions.

The two figures at the table were Benjiro and Kakashi who had been given a rather unpleasant wake up call from Rin in the morning. The standing figure, who was shouting instructions and details like a drill sergeant, was Rin.

"Rule number one! Always maintain eye contact with her at all times! This is essential as it shows that you are sincerely interested in what she has to say, and therefore, interested in her! Do not regard her with the same expression the whole time though, or else she will think that you are either really creepy or just a creep!"

"Eye contact…expression good…staring bad…creepy… got it," repeated Benjiro while taking down notes on a piece of paper.

"Rule number two! If there is a door to a building entrance or a curtain to a stand entrance, you must hold it open for her every time! These acts of chivalry and displays of gentlemen-like behaviour will make her believe that you are a good person and that you're not just like every other hormonal teenage boy out there!"

"Hold open doors…curtains…chivalrous…be gentleman…no hormones…yup! Got it! Next!"

"Number two and one half! She is always to enter a place before you. You let her walk through first, and if she needs help getting up and down steps, then you offer your hand and help her! This is crucial to the gentleman-like idea!"

"Enter last…help out…got it!"

"Good! Benjiro, you are a good student! Rule number three! If she wants to go somewhere, eat something, or drink something, it is your obligation to pay! Unless she –"

_THUD!_

Rin and Benjiro looked up in alarm. To Benjiro's right, they saw the cause of the loud noise. Kakashi had finally succumbed to his drowsiness and had fallen asleep. The sound had come from his head hitting the table. At first, Rin felt as if she was ready to blow a gasket; even in her inner mind she could picture what she would say to him, _"Kakashi! Wake up! It would do you good to learn this stuff and take notes on it as well!" _In reality though, she had always had a soft spot for the way he looked when he was fast asleep; it was the calmest look – one without any trace of boredom or misery – she had ever seen on his face

"Want me to wake him?" Benjiro asked.

She smiled lightly and replied, "No, let him sleep. I'll lecture him later, but I don't have the heart to wake him right now." Rin shook her head back and forth a bit. "Alright, well back to our lesson!"

The lesson continued on for nearly three hours with more information, more note taking, and even pop quizzes involving situations and what sorts of schemas that were learned could be applied to them. "Ok, final pop quiz question," Rin notified him. "What did you learn from today?"

Benjiro paused for a few moments, trying to remember the most crucial part in the 64 rules she had lectured him on in the past few hours. Finally, deciding that he could not select just one, and responded, "I have learnt that girls are impossible to please."

-

-

-

Half an hour later, when Benjiro realized how little time he had left until his hangout, he started panicking yet again. "What am I going to wear? What am I going to say? The rules don't cover that, Rin!"

"Calm down, calm down. I'll help you pick out what to wear, and I'm sure you'll figure out what to say," she smiled reassuringly at him.

"I can't do this…"

"Yes, you can," Rin assured him firmly. "You can do this, Benjiro."

"No," he moaned, "I can't…"

Then, as if the most brilliant idea had just popped into his head, he suggested, "I know! Why don't you guys come with me!?"

"Benjiro, we can't interfere on your date!"

"Yeah, sure you can! We can make it a double date!"

"I don't know if you've realized, but we can't have a double date, since I have no date."

"Sure you do!" Benjiro grinned and shifted his eyes to his left, where they rested upon the sight of his sleeping ANBU partner. Rin followed his gaze, completely taken off guard when she realized whom he was suggesting. Her countenance rapidly changed from curious, to cautious, and then to downright shock.

Quickly moving her gaze back to Benjiro's form, she mouthed, "No…no, that's crazy!"

"Just give it a try," Benjiro rolled his eyes towards the ceiling.

"Fine, but if I get chewed out for waking him up or something like that, it's your sorry butt that's going to be kicked."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. I can take the shrimp," Benjiro waved her off.

Nodding in his direction while putting her bravest smile on, Rin put her hand on Kakashi's shoulder, and shook him gently. "Kakashi…Kakashi…"

A light, muffled snore was all the response she got. She shook him a little harder this time. "Kakashi…wake up…"

"Heh?" Came the groggy reply.

"Wake up, we're going on a date!"

"Mmhm…five more minutes…" A few seconds passed after those words before he woke with a start, turning immediately to look at Rin. "Wait – what did you say?"

"Dress up, we're going on a date!"

-

-

-

Half an hour, and thirty-five pulls to the door for Kakashi later, the three headed to the Hokage tower, the meeting place of the hangout. Benjiro had informed them that there was some festival going on; the daimyo of Hi no Kuni wanted a festival in each of his villages, no matter how small, to show to the rest of the shinobi nations that the fire country was still standing tall and strong, an opponent not to be taken lightly.

As the three of them were exiting the apartment, they noticed Ayumi just a couple of steps down. Benjiro looked surprised for a moment, before calling after her. "Hey, Ayumi!"

She seemed to be in a much better mood than the last time they'd seen her, for her clothing was more colourful, and her facial expression was not murderous or bored in the least. In fact, the minute she noticed them, she smiled a wide grin and waved enthusiastically. "Hey Benjiro! Hey, Benjiro's friends!"

Kakashi and Rin exchanged a glance at being referred to as "Benjiro's friends"; surely the girl must have been polite enough to at least inquire about their names. Sure enough, just seconds later, she marched right up to them and extended her hand. "I don't think we've been properly introduced. Hi, I'm Ayumi."

Rin was the first to take the girl's hand and shake it. "Hi Ayumi, I'm Rin," she introduced herself with a small smile.

"Nice to meet you," Ayumi smiled. "And you are?" She asked, turning to Kakashi.

"Hatake Kakashi," he replied with a bored face, not even bothering to shake her hand. However, Ayumi seemed unfazed by the less than cheerful reply. She said the same, "Nice to meet you," to him as well, and the four headed to the festival.

The festival was a bright and colourful one, with red fire country banners everywhere, and various posters of the Hokage and the daimyo. Messages filled with hope, praise, and messages foretelling great victory were hung like streamers, forming zigzag lines and attaching houses in the area.

The festival lanterns were so luminescent that they seemed to make even the bright, wide eyes of children seem unnaturally dim in comparison. Although it was day, a large tarp-like bubble surrounded the entire festival area, allowing for minimal light to come through and a night-life atmosphere to take over.

There were many stands selling all sorts of foreign and traditional food, as well as stands with games (with various prizes to be won), and stands with local shops advertising their products in loud voices and bright, neon lights.

The group of four gazed in wonder around them, the light ambience lifting their spirits and permitting them to forget momentarily about all the atrocities and crimes against humanity that were occurring mere miles from their reach.

"This is amazing…" Benjiro whispered in awe. "But…how much money do you think went into preparing for a festival like this?"

"A lot," Kakashi responded, apparently on the same train of thought as Benjiro.

"This money should be used to assist those fighting, to provide death benefits to the shinobi who have lost their loved ones because of this god-damned war."

"Now that you put it that way, Benjiro, this festival seems like an awful waste of money and resources," Kakashi agreed.

"Eh?!" Rin exclaimed, disheartened to hear their criticisms of the cheery festival, "but I think this festival is a good thing! Everyone's been so down in the dumps lately, and this is just what we need to lift our spirits and remember to be happy!" Rin turned to Ayumi, seeking desperately for some support on her point. "Right, Ayumi-chan? Isn't this festival nice? Doesn't it make you happy?"

Ayumi looked as though she was going to counter Rin's point about the happiness, but nodded her head vigorously, agreeing, "Yes, yes! This festival is amazing!" She then moved towards Benjiro, calling, "Benjiro-kun, let's go! I want to go on the big Ferris wheel ride! It's probably been imported here, and I've never seen one before…only in books…so let's go while we have the chance, ok?"

"Y-yeah, sure," Benjiro stuttered, "let's go. You guys coming?" He asked Kakashi and Rin.

Kakashi looked at her as if asking 'Are we?', to which Rin responded, "I want to go see the local shop stands and get something to eat first, but if you want, you can go Kakashi!"

Kakashi shook his head. "No, I'll come with you."

"Kay," she smiled up at him, before looking back to Benjiro. "Guess we'll meet up with you two lovebirds later," she winked, "Have fun with Ayumi-chan!"

Benjiro blushed and nodded, giving them a thumbs up sign to show that everything would be ok. Rin returned the thumbs up and proceeded to walk with Kakashi in the direction of the local stands.

While shopping and looking around, she was pleased to find that the fresh marketplace had many exotic fruits that she had never tasted before, along with samples for customers and cheap prices on all their items. The stands that sold clothing also had reduced their prices drastically, which made Rin even happier. She called Kakashi over, suggesting that he seize the opportunity to purchase himself a new wardrobe; his old clothing was becoming tighter on his skin now that he was going through a growth spurt and the sleeves of any of his long sleeved shirts were starting to pull up. Kakashi however, despite all evidence in favour of the notion that he needed new clothes, was quite averse to purchasing them. He claimed that all he needed was the new jounin uniform in his size, and it would suit him just fine.

Rin rapidly countered that claim – as she did with all claims that she felt were ridiculous – by reminding him that he still had a life outside of missions and may like to have some normal and/or formal clothing for everyday life and special occasions.

Kakashi grumbled at her reply, but allowed himself to be dragged into the clothing stand and waiting motionlessly there while Rin pulled all sorts of shirts and sweaters and slacks off the varnished wood shelves, holding out each for him to scrutinize and make a decision on. Most of the shirts she held out for him, he complained that they were either too fancy or were too bright in colour. She complained that he looked very good in lighter, brighter colours and it was good to have one fancy shirt as well. The few, dark in colour shirts that he seemed to approve of, Rin made him try on; most fit well, but there were some whose seam line did not fit accordingly with his shoulder width. In the end, and much to Rin's dismay, the three shirts (all long-sleeved) he ended up buying were navy, black, and hunter green. He also purchased a matching black sweater, full-zip and made out of cotton. Sighing tiredly and impatiently, Kakashi exited the store and waited for Rin to finish with her purchases outside.

Rin took the chance to finish buying herself a couple of shirts, and to secretly sneak one good-quality (but still cheap) turquoise shirt in Kakashi's size. The shirt was made of a fabric resembling satin, but felt like cotton on the skin. It was also fairly easy to wash, and did not attract lint easily. Happy with her purchases, she exited the stand as well.

"Where to now?" Kakashi asked, slinging both their shopping bags casually over his shoulder in a way that would have thrown Gai into a hyperactive rant about his 'contemporary coolness'.

"Hmm," Rin pondered, surveying the grounds, "let's go to that monument over there and make wishes."

He nodded and followed her over to a large rock made entirely out of sharp crystals. They were said to have some higher power within them, and that it was a power to grant peoples' wishes. There was a catch though; they could only be wishes for good things; people were not allowed to wish others harm or illness or death.

Rin went up first, burning some incense and placing it in a large metallic tray hung above the stone. She then clasped her hands together, furrowed her brow as if deep in thought, and opened her eyes smiling just moments later.

Kakashi went next, his wishing going much more smoothly than Rin's. It took him barely a second to make his wish, though he stayed longer in front of the crystals with his eyes closed, just enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. Said atmosphere was brutally interrupted when Benjiro popped up behind him, all loud and cheerful.

"Hey you two!" He greeted, slapping Kakashi on the back. "What have you been up to?"

Rin held up the bags she'd been holding while Kakashi wished. "Shopping."

"Shopping, eh?" Benjiro echoed. "You guys are like a married couple, so sweet." Here he earned a punch in the shoulder and a glare from Kakashi, with only a giggle from Rin. "So what were you doing now, making wishes?" Rin nodded. "For each other?" he added, grinning from ear to ear.

Kakashi glared at him, unamused by his jibes. "I don't know what's gotten you in such a good mood, but I'm sure I can beat you out of it," he informed his older ANBU partner.

"Ah Kakashi, don't be such a grim reaper, huh? It's a beautiful day outside! The sun is shining, the birds are chirping – "

"We're under a tarp, moron. That sunshine is the artificial lighting, and those bird chirps are sound effects."

Benjiro ignored Kakashi's harsh attempts to kill his jolly disposition, and continued asking questions. "So, what did you guys wish for anyway?"

"You to go away," Kakashi fibbed.

"Haha," Benjiro countered sarcastically, "no seriously, what did you guys wish for?"

"The war to end," came Kakashi's answer.

"And you Rin?" Benjiro grinned at the giggling girl.

"For everyone to be safe, happy, and healthy. Mainly safe and healthy, though. Happiness comes much easier if you have the first two."

"Aww Rin," the older male smiled at her, "always so sweet. What a nice thing to wish for."

Kakashi watched Benjiro interact with Rin in a way that he hadn't really noticed before. Perhaps it was due to his extraordinarily sunny disposition, or perhaps it was the after effects of staying under those hot lanterns, but Benjiro really seemed as though he was flirting with Rin. Kakashi decided that he was simply thinking too much, noticing things that weren't really there, and resolved to let it go.

"Hey," Rin's voice broke him from his pensive state, "where's Ayumi-chan?"

"Ah, she had to go home, but she invited the three of us to go to a picnic she's holding at the training grounds this weekend! She said she'd meet us in the morning at the apartments. Isn't that great?"

"That's nice of her," Rin concurred, "sounds like you two really hit it off. By the way, does anyone know what time it is?"

"Almost 2PM, why?"

"Oh, I have a short shift at the hospital. I'll be home by 5 though so that I can cook dinner. Will you be staying over Benjiro as well?"

"Only if you don't mind, miss," the boy in question bowed politely.

"You're so weird," she laughed, hitting him lightly on the shoulder. "Of course I don't mind. Well, I've gotta get going, see you two tonight!" And with a small wave of the hand and a grin, Rin bounded towards the hospital.

Kakashi watched her retreat until she was nearly out of sight before turning to walk home. He was about to bid Benjiro goodbye when the boy called after him to follow him. Reluctantly, and curiously, Kakashi did just that. They weaved through a throng of people, all clamouring around a dango stand, where the owner was apparently giving the remnants away for free until they reached a small stand filled with kitchen utensils and appliances.

"What business do we have in this place?" Kakashi inquired impatiently. Right now he wanted nothing more than to go home and take a short nap.

"Come here," Benjiro beckoned Kakashi closer. "You have to see this."

Kakashi came obediently, and when Benjiro stepped out of the way to show him what he'd dragged him here for, his eyes went wide.

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_**Authoress' Note:** Hope you enjoyed reading this latest chapter! Thank you to all those who reviewed chapter 19: **soar2survive, Kushina Uzumaki 92, JoiZ. D, catgirl9696, Sakra-chan, rileyonline, Hikari Minamoto, ninbunny alchemist, Konoha's White Fang, Frog Lady, and crzyaznsroxursox.** Your support is greatly appreciated! :) As always, I encourage you, the reader, to leave a glorious review filled with plenty of concrit for me to mull over. Thank you!_

**Chapterly Challenge:** There is no chapterly challenge for this chapter. "Oh noes!" D: They cry. Fret not, it will be in the final chapter, part 2 of the Epilogue. I had originally planned the epilogue for just one chapter, but well, it's in two now. So the challenges will be back again next chapter. I have no idea what I can give for the _**prize(s) to the winner(s), so if anyone has any ideas, please let me know!**_


	21. Epilogue: Final Chapter

_**IDIL's Note: **Ok guys, hold your breaths, 'cause this is it. The end has come. But as you'll see, it's not really an end, nothing is. It's simply the beginning. The beginning of your imagination creating whatever it wants as a continuation. The beginning of a series of other oneshot projects I have lined up for myself, and the beginning of my return to fanfiction. The updates may be sporadic, the waits may be long, and the fics may not be all good. But I promise you that I have poured a little piece of my soul into each and every single one of my works, especially Living Arrangements, which holds a special place in my heart. If any of you know me personally, you'll be able to recognize little things in the story and go, "Oh, that's such an IDIL thing to do/say!" If you do not, then this note will give you sufficient insight to find the key clues to my personality. Either way my friends, this story has been a great experience and journey for me, and I am proud to say that I have successfully completed my first multi-chapter fic, and the response has been phenomenal. I really enjoy reading each and every one of your reviews, and rest assured that I have reviewed them many times, as they never fail to bring a smile to my face. I sincerely hope this chapter brings a smile to yours, and makes you (re)evalute your beliefs in life, your relationships with others, and of course, your new year's resolutions. Hope you all made good ones. :) Well, that's it for my characterisitically long speech. Enjoy!_

Disclaimer: I do _not_ own Naruto or Rascal Flatts.**

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Epilogue Part Two: The Picnic

Kakashi stared incredulously at the microwave before him, the device glinting in all its sleek and contemporary glory. "How did you manage to find this?"

"Eh, it was nothing," Benjiro waved it off, "I just happened to notice it when walking by here with Ayumi, and I thought it would be a nice gift for Rin. You know, to make her happy."

For a fleeting moment, Kakashi shot Benjiro a questioning look. Make Rin happy? What was with this guy today, and why did he feel he knew what would make Rin happy? Kakashi shrugged it off, perturbed by his own suspicions, turning back over to where the microwave was located. The small stand was quickly filling up with customers, all of whom were gazing just as much in awe at the microwave as the two young boys were.

Benjiro took this as a sign to take action, and he seized the first microwave box he could. The other customers noticed his movements, and began an uproar. Mothers who were usually polite and civilized were elbowing their way past others in order to snatch up the inexpensive microwave, and a couple of them had even engaged in a tug-of-war with Benjiro for his box.

Needless to say, as soon as Kakashi came over and stood by him, the women reluctantly left the box alone, but the stand had become so crowded now that Kakashi had to throw his money over the heads of three citizens to the cashier.

Once out of the ridiculously crowded stand and free from any civil danger, the two began their trek back to Kakashi's apartment, eager to install the new microwave into the kitchen and have it waiting for Rin as a nice surprise.

The set-up of the microwave was extremely simple, requiring only to be plugged into the wall, and even Kakashi had to admit that it went well with the rest of the kitchen décor. Pleased with himself, he stepped back and admired his work.

"Hey," Benjiro called, interrupting his thoughts, "you know what would be really great?"

"No."

"If we made dinner so that it was ready by the time Rin came home; then she wouldn't have to do any work, and could relax!"

"Uh sure," Kakashi agreed, not at all opposed to the idea of giving his friend a much-needed break from house chores, "what do you suggest we make?"

"I don't know. We could always heat up some instant ramen in our brand new microwave!"

"Nuh-uh, no way."

"Aww come on, why not? Don't you want to help Rin out?"

"Yes, I would like to help her out by actually NOT burning down the apartment. If you have forgotten, it was my escapades with the ramen that caused our first microwave to become total trash."

"Right…well, we can always make some sushi!"

"I hate raw fish."

"Ok then…vegetarian sushi! Yeah, how about that Kakashi? Wanna make some vegetarian sushi?"

Kakashi shot an unenthusiastic glare at Benjiro. "Not with you."

"GREAT!" Benjiro exclaimed, as if ignoring Kakashi. "I'll get the ingredients!"

While cooking, the two unexperienced males wound up making many mistakes, and many more messes. By the end of their cooking adventures, Kakashi had had rice spilt on him on three separate occasions, Benjiro's eyes were surrounded by pieces of avocado, and there was a smiley face on the floor made out of cucumbers and some other unidentifiable substance.

-

-

-

Just as they were beginning to clean up, the door opened and Rin walked in, humming to herself. Her eyebrows rose in suspicion as she noticed her two very messy friends scrubbing away at the kitchen; intrigued by the sight, she went over to them.

"Hey guys, whatcha doing?" She inquired, looking over their shoulder.

"Nothing!" Benjiro replied nervously, not wanting to ruin the surprise, but much to his dismay, she noticed the strange cucumber-and-something smiley face on the tiled floor.

"Ok, what's that?" she pointed a finger at the mess.

"It's dinner," Kakashi replied tonelessly.

"And it's happy to see you!" Benjiro chipped in cheerfully.

Rin simply laughed at the two. "Oh you guys, you were trying to make me dinner?"

"Yup! We wanted to spare you the trouble, since we knew how tired you'd be!" Benjiro informed her.

"Aww, you two," she hugged them both warmly, "that's so sweet of you! Thank you."

"Anything for you Rin," Benjiro beamed back at her, while Kakashi stared suspiciously at him in the background. Now this was definitely freaking him out; he had noticed, at least on three separate occasions – though only one clear one – that Benjiro had taken a special interest in Rin as of late, and the notion that his ANBU partner might have a crush on the girl rather disturbed him.

"Hey," he interrupted, hoping to stop his suspicious thoughts and the sweetness his partner was exhibiting toward his friend, "are we going to eat or what? I'm starving to death here."

"Oh yes, of course, sorry Kakashi," Rin apologized and set the table.

Dinner was fairly quiet, mainly because both Benjiro and Rin sensed that Kakashi had tensed up, and both were rather confused as to why. Kakashi however, barely noticed the silence for in his mind he was having his own internal argument, completely forgetting about the rest of the outside world. He barely noticed that Benjiro was asking him a question until the boy's hand came up and smacked him across the face, stunning Kakashi out of his seat.

"What the hell was that for?!" he questioned his ANBU partner, absolutely furious.

"Whoa dude, calm down," Benjiro said, "I was asking you like the same question for five minutes and you weren't answering – I figured you were either purposely ignoring me or just totally zoned out. Either way, I knew I could get a reaction out of you this way."

"Yeah, well you got me to react. Happy now?"

"Dude, like I said, just chill, ok?"

"Don't tell me to just chill! Who the hell are you to tell me anything? This is my house! I can do whatever the hell I want!"

"Why are you in such a pissy mood now? You were perfectly fine this afternoon!" By this time, Benjiro was starting to get aggravated as well; he rose out of his seat and continued arguing with Kakashi.

"Why am I in such a pissy mood? Do you really not know? Like what the hell is wrong with you?! First, you force me into doing something I don't really want to do, then you start hovering around 24/7, and finally, you're acting like you can take over my life!"

"Take over your life? What the hell do you mean man? I'm not trying to take over anything! What's wrong with _me_? What's wrong with _you_? Why are you so paranoid?"

"BECAUSE YOU'RE- !" Kakashi started.

"JUST SHUT UP! BOTH OF YOU!" Came another shrill and broken voice, causing both of the boys to snap their heads to the side in bewilderment at their long-forgotten friend. Rin had been so happy to come home and find them doing something nice, together for her and she had been so at peace; this whole fight was just something stupid, and she was sure as hell not going to listen to them ruin her day. Once it got too intense, she screamed louder than both of them in order to get their attention. Now, she was sitting in her chair, frustrated tears running down her face, her hands clasped over her ears.

"Rin, we're – " Benjiro started to apologize, but was cut off again.

"What's wrong with you two? Why can't you just get along?" She asked them again, still sobbing quietly.

Part of Kakashi was so angry and felt so frustrated at himself for having hurt her that he almost yelled out, 'Because Benjiro likes you!', but the other part of him wouldn't allow it, and so he just sighed, walking over to her.

"Hey, I'm sorry, I don't know what got into me, I just – "

But Rin refused to hear any of it. "Go away," she demanded, "both of you. And don't come back until you've sorted this out."

"Ok," Benjiro agreed, trying to placate the crying girl. "Come on Kakashi."

"I'm not going anywhere with you," Kakashi seethed.

"Man, I said, _come on_," Benjiro forcefully pulled Kakashi by the arm out of the apartment.

-

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Once they were outside the door and out of hearing distance from the apartment, Benjiro turned on Kakashi. "What the hell was all that about?"

"I…don't really know, I just snapped, ok?"

"Dude, if something's bugging you about me, or about anything, you can tell me, you know? I'm not gonna get pissed at you. We're partners, and we can't keep this kind of stuff from each other; it's bad for our friendship and it's bad for our work. If I know you're keeping something from me, something to do with me or our partnership; if you're flipping out on me like that, how am I supposed to know whether you hate me or not? How am I supposed to trust you as a partner?"

Kakashi felt his blood start to boil again. He didn't need to be reminded of the kind of trust his line of work required, or the basic rules of being a friend. He knew them better than anyone on this planet. And what about Benjiro keeping secrets from him? Even so, he decided to quit arguing. The sooner he got this over with, the sooner he could go home – without Benjiro. "Yeah, I got it. I know, and no there's nothing about you I really dislike, so don't worry." And really, there wasn't. Kakashi rather liked the boy he was partnered up with – he was smart but optimistic, and his purposeful stupidity/naïveté was often hilarious to encounter – it was just his attitude towards certain females that irked him.

"Alright, so we're cool?"

"Yeah," Kakashi agreed, "we're cool. So long as you're not keeping anything from me."

"Nope. Wouldn't dream of it. Hey, you'd better get back home and let Rin know we've got the whole thing sorted out."

"You're not coming back with me?" Kakashi asked incredulously.

"Nope. She just needs her best friend right now, not some other person."

And with that surprising affirmation, Kakashi bounded back off to his apartment, all suspicions cleared…at least for now.

-

-

-

Upon reaching his apartment, he cautiously opened the door, and peaked inside. "Rin?"

"What do you want?" Came the stubbornly angry reply.

"Benjiro and I sorted things out. Everything's ok now."

"What was the problem to begin with? You guys seemed so ok together."

"Don't worry about it," he finally stepped inside the apartment, only to see her still at the kitchen table, tearing up periodically. "Sorry we upset you."

"It's ok."

"No, it's not ok, and it won't happen again."

"Promise?" Sniffle.

"Promise." Kakashi assured. "Hey, what was that song you were humming when you came in today?"

"Some song I heard in the staff room at the hospital…it really fit our friendships…not just yours and mine but also ours and sensei's and Obito's…" Rin trailed off.

"So, that's why you got so upset at us? You were thinking about Obito?"

"It wasn't just that…you and Benjiro fighting…it reminded me of you and Obito…and how quickly we went from fighting to missing him…and how quickly he was taken away from us…and it made me think that it could happen to either one of you – even to me, actually – at any time, and I just didn't want you guys arguing to be the last thing any of us said to each other…"

Kakashi fidgeted uncomfortably at the flow of memories. He rapidly made a move to change the subject. "So, how did that song go again?"

Rin giggled slightly, "Oh come on Kakashi, I'm not going to sing it in front of you."

"Why not? I'm not going to laugh at you. Plus, you always sing when you brush your teeth."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Well yeah, but then my mouth is full of toothpaste, and I actually have an excuse to sing badly."

"True, but by your off key singing in the bathroom, I already can guess that this is going to be pretty bad regardless," Kakashi joked, smirking.

"Hey, shut up!" She punched him in the shoulder. "Just for that, you're going to have to listen to it on the radio; there's no way I'm singing it!"

"Fine, fine," he agreed, defeated, "I'll wait to hear it on the radio."

"Great! Ok hold on, I have to find my radio first…"

"Oh, you mean we're going to listen to it right now?"

"Yeah! Why, you got something better to do?" She asked, walking around the apartment searching for her radio. "Now where did I put it…? In the kitchen maybe?"

Rin wandered over to the kitchen, stopping dead in her tracks as she noticed something inexplicably new present in their kitchen. "Kakashi?" She called back, confusion evident in her voice.

"Yeah?"

"Can you come here a second please?"

Grumbling to himself about what a nuisance it was to be removed from a comfortable spot, Kakashi reluctantly pushed himself out of the comfortable chair he had been seated in, and trudged towards the kitchen. "What is it Rin?"

"What is _this_?" She demanded, pointing to the brand new microwave seated atop the kitchen counter.

"Oh," Kakashi smiled as he realized what she was motioning to, "It's your new microwave."

"I see that, but Kakashi this must have cost you a fortune! I – why- uh – you didn't have to!" She sputtered, trying to find a way to both thank him and make appropriate arrangements to pay him back.

"I know," he simply said. "But I wanted to. Looks pretty cool, huh?"

"Yes!" Rin agreed wholeheartedly. "It looks very cool!" And then as an afterthought, "I'm sure Gai would burst in tears over the 'contemporary coolness' of you and your joint microwave."

Kakashi turned his head towards her, his visible coal eye mortified. "No, he won't burst because you won't tell him…right?"

Rin erupted in laughter at the horrified look on his face. "Of course not Kakashi!"

At once, Kakashi's demeanour became calm again and he let out a sigh. "So, find that radio yet?"

"Oh," Rin continued looking around for a few moments, until she finally spotted her radio on top of the refrigerator. With care, she got up on her tiptoes and pulled the sparkly purple device back down, setting it down on the floor of the bedroom.

-

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-

After a gruelling hour during which the radio had been playing at full blast, the station it was on only blaring incoherent pop songs - songs that spontaneously spouted sentences seemingly supporting sexual promiscuity - Kakashi decided to turn the music down and either sleep or engage in idle conversation; to tell the truth, all the annoying songs playing were only serving to re-boil his blood, and Kami knew he didn't need a reason to get angry again.

When Rin realized that he was turning the music down – music she had been previously bobbing her head to – she made a face clearly asking, 'What gives?'

He shrugged in response, "It was bothering me."

With silence quickly overtaking them and both of them lying down on comfy mattresses, Rin began to feel the intensifying pull of sleepiness. Just as she was about to doze off, Kakashi asked, "So, anything new at the hospital?"

"No," she murmured sleepily, and then added as she remembered the news she'd been trying to deliver, "And there might not be, because I'm seriously considering leaving the hospital and coming back to do some field work."

At this, Kakashi bolted right up at an alarming rate, all of his senses fully alert and trying to process with rationality the news she had just sprung on him. Go back to the field? What the hell was she thinking? Her job at the hospital was, as far as he was concerned, more than adequate for her. The hours may have been a bit long and difficult to endure at times, but it was well paid, in a fairly gore-free environment (minus the OR), and most importantly, it was safe. Yes, she had been an active medic in the field at the beginning of the war, but things had still changed rather drastically from that time, and the ninjutsu/taijutsu skills required to stay alive were ones of a level she simply did not possess. All in all, Kakashi felt that her inclination towards leaving the hospital was a delusional one. "No," he deadpanned.

She frowned at his response, sitting up. "No what?"

"No, you can't leave the hospital for field work, no."

"I wasn't aware you had any say in my decision," Rin shot back coolly. "Considering that I didn't have a say in yours."

"That's not true," he argued. "You had a say in mine. I told you that if you didn't want me to go, I wouldn't."

"If I remember correctly, that was after you already accepted the proposal, which I hadn't even known about, and when I later suggested after your hospitalization that you consider resignation because of the detrimental effects it has on your body, you told me that you couldn't and wouldn't resign," she reminded him, "But I'm not telling you this to start an argument and point fingers. It's not even set in stone yet; I'm just considering it as an option."

"We need to talk about this," he persisted, "this is a fairly big decision."

She groaned, flopping back down onto her mattress. "Don't start this now, Kakashi. I'm too tired."

"I'm not starting anything. We can talk about it later," he told her calmly, and then turned his tone of voice to match the one he used when giving commands, "but we _will_ talk about it. Of that you can be certain."

Rin groaned again, this time out of frustration. "Please don't order me around like that," she asked politely but with a tone that suggesting she was giving him a warning.

"I wasn't," he fibbed, flipping the tone back to the casual one he always used around her.

"Hey, what time is it?"

"Around midnight," he replied, "why?"

"No reason. Let's just lie down quietly and listen to the music. It's obvious that if we talk too much tonight, we'll just start arguing," she supplied unabashedly.

To her statement Kakashi posed no argument, probably because of its veracity and the fact that even if he would want to contradict it, Rin's point would only be proven. Besides, if they got into an argument tonight, he knew that it would definitely diminish his chances of successfully dissuading her from resuming a position in the field. So despite the fact that the music they were listening to irked him to no end, despite the fact that he'd rather have a conversation and drown it all out, and despite the fact that his head was swimming with questions and constructing rational arguments against her decision, he kept silent.

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The song Rin had so desperately wanted him to listen to, much to his dismay, finally came on the radio at around 3AM, just as he had begun to fall asleep. His left eye had started to droop shut, making the room around him blur, his breathing followed his even heart rate, lulling him further in, and he had at long last found a comfortable position for his body on the mattress. All of the symptoms above were abruptly ended as Rin jumped out of her blanket, exclaiming, "Kakashi! Kakashi, wake up! This is the song!"

His heart rate immediately sped up in reaction to the urgency in her voice, his eye shot open, and he let out a tired moan, much like the one she had released hours before. Getting up sluggishly, Kakashi propped himself up on his elbows, listening somewhat intently as Rin turned the volume up on the radio's speakers. The song seemed to be about halfway finished, but that appeared to have no effect on Rin's excitement. In fact, if it hadn't been Kakashi's first time hearing this song, and therefore needing to understand all the words coherently sung, Rin would have been casually humming or singing along to the tune that reminded her so much of the old Team Seven.

The radio seemed to understand the importance of the song as well, for it magically adjusted itself to the proper radio station frequency, and delivered the music in its highest display of clarity yet:

_I come around all broken down and  
crowded out  
in you're comfort  
Sometimes the place I go  
Is so deep and dark and desperate  
I don't know, I don't know_

_How every day  
Every day, every day  
You save my life_

_Sometimes I swear, I don't know if  
I'm comin' or goin'  
But you always say something  
without even knowin'  
That I'm hangin' on to your words  
With all of my might and it's alright  
Yeah, I'm alright for one more night-  
every day  
Every day, every day, every day  
Every day, every day  
You save me, you save me, oh, oh, oh  
Every day  
Every, every, every day-_

Every day you save my life

As it finished with a prolonged, melancholic note, Kakashi turned to Rin with a look on his face that unmistakably showed how unimpressed he was. "Out of all the songs, _this_ is the one you felt best represented our team?"

"Well, maybe not the best, but one of the best, yeah. I mean, I think we've all saved each other's lives at some point, literally and figuratively. Sensei's been saving our lives literally since day one, and he's always made himself available when we needed to just talk. We feel safe around him and trust him, and he knows that, so he's done everything possible to help us. Then Obito…well, we all know how much he did for all of us. And you…you've changed Kakashi, and I don't know…I think it's really helped both sensei and I really get through all this crap. So yeah, in a way, I think we've all saved each other, all made each other better people…and the hanging on to every word part…that's true too…at least, for me it is. I can still hear him sometimes," she smiled to herself, "telling me the same things he used to, giving me the same advice when I'm down…"

Kakashi remained thoughtfully silent, slowly taking in the possibilities of how the song did in fact fit their team, and after a while, he determined that conceivably Rin was right. And even if she was right, did she have to choose the most goddamn melancholy bringing song ever? Why couldn't it be a happy song, one that would make them remember the good things and only the good things, not just how broken up their team now was. "Yeah…I still don't like the song though…"

"…I think I know what you mean. It can be terribly depressing, this music."

"Yeah…"

-

-

-

Six hours after they had fallen in the barrel filled with melancholy, and had also finally succumbed to sleep, Kakashi was the first to arise and take a glance at the alarm clock, which flashed an annoyingly red and digital 9:30AM in his face. He looked over at Rin, noticed that she was still asleep, and decided to catch a few more 'z's himself, until he remembered that they actually had plans today. Plans that included them being present in one hour and a half at a certain forest clearing in Konoha, some food packed.

Hastily, he got out of bed, making a small racket as he tripped over his sheets and fell unceremoniously onto the hardwood flooring. If he moved fast enough, then he could get dressed and ready and also prepare the snacks they were supposed to be bringing to Ayumi's picnic before Rin even had a chance to wake up. Unbeknownst to him, his plans had been thwarted the second he had tripped and fell; the racket of the noise had awoken a groggy Rin and she was now watching him with curious sleepy eyes as he futilely attempted to pull his pants on top of his boxers.

"Kakashi?" Came Rin's soft voice, filled with morning sleepiness.

"Hmm?"

"What are you doing?" She rubbed her eyes open with her hands, and continued to stare at him strangely.

"Getting dressed."

"Kakashi?" She yawned, covering her mouth with one hand.

"Mhm?"

Rin smacked her lips together a few times, and opened her eyes, pointing her index finger at him. "Those are my pants."

Kakashi looked down to where she was pointing, an alarmed expression on his face. Indeed, now that the disorientation from being tired had passed, he could see clearly that the pants he had just been trying to pull on – and had been wondering if he'd gained weight since they were so hard to pull up – were actually Rin's. His cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment and a little bit of frustration at himself, as he threw the pair of pants that were clearly not his at their proper owner – letting them land against her stomach with an 'oomph' – and attempted to find his own pair of respective pants amidst the tangled mess-pile of clothes.

Following his lead, Rin also began rummaging through the pile of clothes, just as disoriented as Kakashi had originally been. Eventually, she settled upon the pair of black capris that Kakashi had attempted – inadvertently and without success – to put on this morning, a plain purple t-shirt, and a thin black full-zip sweater, as the mornings in May were still a little cool. Satisfied with her choices, she headed over to the washroom to freshen herself up, and then settled at a spot in the kitchen and commenced production of her famous picnic-style vegetarian sushi (mainly because she knew how much Kakashi & Benjiro disliked raw fish).

Minutes after she finished up the sushi snacks and had made some breakfast, Kakashi walked in the kitchen and sat himself down at the table. As she set the table with their respective teas and plain breakfasts and took a seat at the table herself, Rin was met with a murmured 'Thanks' from Kakashi, and then a strange look – one where he raised both his eyebrows at her – which she instantaneously noticed and responded to. "Yes, can I help you?"

"You stole my sweater," he accused, pointing his index finger at her garment.

Rin looked down blankly and then raised her head back to his eye level. "Oh," she grinned sheepishly, "so I did. Consider it payback for trying to steal my pants this morning."

Kakashi flushed at the memory. "It wasn't on purpose," he protested vehemently.

Rin's grin widened. "Suuurrreee," she joked sarcastically, "whatever you say Kakashi."

He glared at her. "Shut up and let's go."

-

-

-

Ayumi's picnic, according to Benjiro at least, was supposed to be a small affair. It was to take place in a forest clearing owned by Ayumi's family, and Rin, Kakashi, and Benjiro were to be amongst the few who were in attendance.

However, by the time the invitees began flooding in, it became at once apparent that this picnic was going to be anything but a small affair. There were many people who, despite being close in age and friends of Ayumi, kept to themselves entirely and refuted any attempts made at conversation. Kakashi took in their presence with a snort, remarking unpleasantly – outside of Ayumi's presence, of course – that their personalities seemed to match perfectly with that displayed by Ayumi the first time they had met her. Of course, Rin had promptly scolded him for making such unnecessary and rude comments about their new friend – to which Kakashi had remarked that he still did not consider the girl his friend – and continued her futile attempts to socialize with the clearly anti-social invitees.

Luckily, around noon, there came the familiar navy shock of hair characterized by the mature ex-pupil of Kakashi, Nikko. He waved and smiled in Kakashi and Rin's direction, a greeting to which they responded cheerfully, and moved in to sit near them. "Hey," he greeted casually.

"Hey yourself," Kakashi greeted back, "what are you doing here?"

"Kakashi! Stop being so rude!" Rin chided him, then smiled at Nikko, "Hello Nikko. It's nice to see you again. Been keeping up with your medical training?"

The young boy grinned back at her. "You know it! Thanks for all the tips Rin-sensei. And to answer your question Kakashi-sensei, I'm here because I am Ayumi's cousin."

As if on cue, at that very moment Ayumi entered the scene again and hugged Nikko tightly. "Hey 'cous, what's up?"

Returning the hug, Nikko replied, without the slightest trace of embarrassment, "Nothing new."

Just as the two cousins were pulling away from each other, two tall figures emerged into the clearing, followed by a much shorter yet undoubtedly more boisterous figure who called out, "Hey everyone!"

A chorus of 'Hey's were shouted back at the shorter, and now clearly female figure who was now identifiable as another of Kakashi's ex-pupil's, Haruhi. The two tall figures, which were now clearly male, Rin easily identified as the two brothers who had delivered her new mattress to Kakashi's apartment. What had been their names?

"Akio! Ryuu! Nice to see you guys!" Ayumi called out to the newly arrived group. "And hey," she added, ruffling Haruhi's hair, "I see you guys brought the little munchkin along with you!"

Haruhi frowned up at the older girl ruffling her hair. "Hey, who you calling munchkin?" Then, moving her head to the right to see around Ayumi, she noticed the presence of Nikko, Rin, and Kakashi. "And hey look," Haruhi cried excitedly, "it's sensei!" After a couple of seconds, she noticed Rin's presence as well. "And his girlfriend!"

Rin blushed vividly at the comment as Haruhi moved to take a seat beside her, shoving Nikko out of the way. During the entirety of the picnic, Haruhi continuously harassed Rin with questions about Kakashi and the nature of their relationship, chatting her up incessantly.

Finally, one statement Haruhi uttered seemed to affect Rin more than all the rest. "You're really lucky you know?" the young girl mused thoughtfully, "Sensei's really hot and he seems like a good person too."

Rin appeared shocked at first by the girl's musings, but then smiled gently at the last part. "He is," she agreed considerately.

This response seemed to pique Haruhi's interest. "Is what? He is what? Really hot or a good person?"

"Uh," Rin blushed again, looking around to see if Kakashi was within hearing distance, then decided that it didn't really matter since they were now good friends and he was probably all too aware – though if he was, he chose not to show it – of her little, not-so-former crush. "Both," she finally murmured surreptitiously.

Nikko, who had been sitting nearby, had heard all of Haruhi's interrogation and eccentric statements and decided that maybe it was time to intervene and save Rin – a medic he deeply admired for both her compassion towards humans and her skill in her field – from further embarrassment at the hands of Haruhi's shameless and effervescent personality and thoughtless statements. And not a moment too soon, for just then he heard Haruhi question Rin eagerly, "So, have you and sensei kissed yet?"

It seemed as though Kakashi – be it because he was eavesdropping or by coincidence – had heard the question as well, for at the very second Haruhi had finished asking said intrusive question, he had promptly begun to choke on the water he had been drinking.

Practically flying over to the scene of an eager Haruhi and a clearly uncomfortable Rin, Nikko pulled Haruhi back by the arm and wrapped a hand quickly around her mouth, retracting it however mere moments later as Haruhi bit him. "Ow!" He yelped, glaring down at the young, not to mention vicious, girl he had detained. Adjusting his expression to be one of sympathy, he looked back up admiringly at Rin, informing her, "You don't have to answer that question, obviously."

After acknowledging the small smile he received from his medical mentor, he frowned once more down at Haruhi. "Hey, that's rude!" Nikko chided, beating a fist gently against Haruhi's head, causing her to stick her tongue out at him in shame, a playful look on her face. Checking out her expression to make sure that she was rightfully sorry, Nikko sighed. "What are we ever going to do with you?"

Then, looking once more back up at Rin, he grinned sheepishly. "Sorry," he apologized like a parent would for their small child's wrongful actions, "She's…young. Doesn't know any better."

"Hey!" Haruhi called from her position cross-legged on the ground in front of Nikko, "you don't have to talk about me like I'm not here! Sheesh! Now _that's_ what I call rude!"

Rin laughed merrily at their playful banter, feeling a bit of morose nostalgia at how much it reminded her of the way her old team used to argue playfully, carefree, long before the war had gotten intense, long before they had broken up.

"Hey Rin!" Ayumi's voice chimed through the air, snapping Rin out of her thoughts, "Come with me for a second?"

Rin stood up and dusted herself off, before bounding towards Ayumi calling, "Coming!"

-

-

-

"So, what did you want to show me? Or talk to me about?" Rin asked as the pair got farther away from the clearing.

Ayumi just held a finger to her lips, signalling Rin to be silent and continued walking quietly to an area heavily covered by bushes sprouting large, oblong leaves. As they approached the area, Ayumi started to gently push aside the large leaves, crawling into the leafy forest, ushering Rin in alongside her as she let the leaves fall behind them, covering the two of them in complete and utter forestry.

"What did you bring me here for?" Rin attempted asking again.

Ayumi let out a long but quiet sigh. "I need to ask you something. And I need you to answer me truthfully."

"Ok," Rin agreed, waiting patiently and with mild curiosity for Ayumi to ask her question. What could the girl possibly have to consult with her? It wasn't like they were good friends or anything; she had only seen the girl one other time, and yet here she was, dragging her into a secret place, whispering giddily.

"Do you think Benjiro likes me?" Ayumi asked, her expression instantly blank.

"Uh…" Rin stalled, trying to think of the right way to answer. Judging by how secretive the location chosen by Ayumi was, it seemed like the girl was going to confess something, something good. But by the way her expression had just gone blank, Rin had no way of telling whether her reaction to the truth would be a pleasant one or an unpleasant one. If it were the former, then Benjiro would probably thank her for centuries to come for telling the truth, but if it were the latter and Ayumi was just bringing her here to this secretive location to get away from Benjiro, then it wasn't such a good idea to let the truth be known. So, should she take the chance or not? Should she let the truth about Benjiro's feelings towards his former teammate be known, or not? "Do you like him?"

Ayumi paused thoughtfully, as if trying to make up her mind about the question. "Well," she paused dramatically and then engaged in a silly string of giggling fits, "yeah."

Surprised by the older girl's very girlish and giggly attitude, Rin appeared almost frightened for a moment, and then grinned knowingly at her. "Does my answer to your question determine whether I get out of these bushes alive or not?" She joked.

Ayumi erupted in another fit of giggles. Well, you are in my neck of the woods now. Literally. But nah, come on," she said, motioning in a forward direction with her head, "let's get out of here." Instead of going back the way they came, they pressed forward, fighting their way through the throng of leaves and branches until at last, they heard the sound of running water. Upon having emerged from the clearing, both were stunned into silence by the beauty of it all. Grass and small pebbles lined the edges of a large pond, a creek to the right of it and a waterfall directly behind it. Steam rose from where the waterfall connected with the pond, and all sorts of fish and fauna adorned the pond surface. The waterfall itself seemed to dazzle with the intensity of a thousand diamonds as the shining of the sun brightly illuminated its many streams of water pouring down.

Rin gasped in awe, while Ayumi let a tranquil smile adorn her features, sitting down on the grassy earth and gliding one hand lazily along the water's surface. "It's beautiful, huh?" She whispered to Rin, keeping quiet so as not to break the tranquil peace. "My family's owned this part of the forest for a few years now, but I just discovered this a couple of weeks ago. After Benjiro told me that I had to find my peaceful place, my sanctuary. He said that everyone needs one, that otherwise they go crazy. So I thought, what better place than in the forest?" She then lay down on her back, staring up at Rin, who was still looking around completely mesmerized. "What's your sanctuary, Rin? Where do you go to get away from all the stresses of life?"

Rin paused to think. That was a good question. Where was her sanctuary? Back when everything had been great with her family, it had been home. Then, when things took a turn for the worst, it had been the library, where she could spend countless hours doing whatever she wanted and basking in the peaceful quietness. After Obito died and her mother had started drinking, her sanctuary had been Kakashi's apartment. But now, despite the fact that everything was ok with her mother, despite the fact that Obito's death no longer gripped her heart as tightly with its cold, dead fingers, despite the fact that she had befriended Kakashi, it seemed as though she had no sanctuary. No place to go to when everything seemed to be too much to deal with, no place to head to get away from all the memories and forget, no place to be alone with her thoughts. "I guess…nowhere. I mean, I don't really have one," she admitted sadly.

"Eh, I didn't either, and for the longest time I thought I didn't need one, you know? Actually, before Benjiro suggested it, the thought of a sanctuary, of a place of my own, a place to get away, it hadn't even crossed my mind. But then, he asked me, and I found this place, and all of a sudden it became pretty clear that this was exactly what I had been missing." Her eyes met with Rin's and Ayumi couldn't help but notice how hopeless the girl looked, lost deeply in her thoughts. "Tell you what," she grinned, "You and me, we'll share. You can consider this your sanctuary as well, and you can come here any time you want. I guarantee it's just as beautiful during the winter here – although not as warm – and well Rin, you can get away from everything here. Just lose yourself completely. And it's outdoors," she tacked on half-jokingly, "so if you need to scream, you won't be disturbing anyone."

"Thanks," Rin smiled sincerely, "this is amazing."

"Yeah," Ayumi agreed offhandedly, "so what about my question? You still haven't answered whether Benjiro likes me or not!"

Rin sat down on the grass beside Ayumi giggling, all talk of sanctuaries placed in the back of her mind. "Well, what makes you think I know?" she playfully avoided the question.

"Oh come on! Kakashi and Benjiro are partners for god's sake! Benjiro even told me he sleeps over at your guys' apartment sometimes! If _anyone_ knows about Benjiro's romantic interests, it'd be you guys."

"Well, I may know a thing or two," Rin admitted, grinning all the while.

At this Ayumi became excited enough to sit up, and look at the other girl expectantly. "So? Don't just sit there smiling at me! Let me know!"

Rin laughed at Ayumi's antics, and couldn't remember for the life of her the last time she had had a real girl talk. It felt nice, and deep down, she sincerely hoped that she could get used to this. Still laughing and grinning broadly, Rin managed to squeak out a, "Yes!" nodding her head fervently in assertion.

"I knew it! I knew it!" Ayumi exclaimed as they both fell into a fit of girlish giggles.

-

-

-

Later, when the girls had returned back to the main picnic area and were once again surrounded by their respective friends, Ayumi pushed through the crowd until she found Benjiro. "We need to talk," she told him, dragging him far away from where everyone was picnicking.

Rin surveyed the scene with a serene smile, giving Ayumi a behind the back thumbs-up sign as she made off with her soon to be boyfriend. Without a sound, Kakashi materialized beside her, regarding her carefully. "What's the deal with them?" he inquired, startling Rin, as she hadn't noticed his presence.

"Oh, I think Ayumi's going to tell Benjiro she likes him!" She chirped happily.

"Oh."

"I'm really happy for them," she grinned for them umpteenth time that day, flashing him her pearly whites. "I think they're really cute together, and they both deserve to be happy. Besides, it's like a gift for both of them, you know? They could fall in love and everything, have a great life, be happy together. It's amazing that they'll get together."

"If you say so."

Rin then decided that, sanctuary or not, she really wanted to show Kakashi the place that had been shown to her by Ayumi. The moment she saw Ayumi and Benjiro come back from their trek, smiles on their faces and fingers intertwined, she knew that all had gone as planned and it was now safe to say that they would not be intruding on anyone if they were to go to the clearing with the waterfall. She instructed Kakashi to follow her, but the new happy couple on their way to the clearing promptly stopped both of them.

"I assume this picnic will finish up in a couple of hours," Ayumi notified them, "and then I'd like to invite you all down to my clearing just to, you know, chill and hang out."

"Well, we'll go there now and wait for you guys to come," Rin replied.

"Okay! See you two there!" Benjiro piped in. "Don't do anything we wouldn't do!" He added with a wink.

-

-

-

It was twilight by the time Benjiro and Ayumi thought to join Kakashi and Rin by the waterfall. They had apologized for their lateness, though they knew nobody really cared, and proceeded to settle themselves comfortably in the grass. Kakashi and Rin, who had already chosen their spot on the left side – Kakashi sitting cross-leggedly beside Rin who was lying on her stomach, head propped up on her hands – scooted even further left to allow for more room to accommodate the newly arrived couple. Benjiro lay down on the grass first, hands behind his head while Ayumi took a position perpendicular to his and laid her head on his chest.

No one dared speak; the silence was too peaceful and precious and fragile to break. When finally they seemed to be in danger of losing themselves amongst the million twinkling stars that adorned the night sky, Rin whispered, "It's beautiful, isn't is?" This ignited a chorus of affirmative murmurs, but after that no more was said.

Benjiro and Ayumi were barely noticed as they slipped out of the clearing later that night, attributing their leave to the cool May night air, and Rin only paid heed to them when asking, "Is it ok if I stay a little longer?" to which Ayumi answered, "Of course."

Rin really seemed to have found her ideal place, the one place where nothing could break her peacefulness, where nothing could attack her conscience, and right now, she felt as though she never wanted to leave. Of course she knew that was impossible, due to her hospital shifts and the increasingly cool air outside, and her need to it, but every time Kakashi suggested that perhaps they go home, she would plead, "Just a little longer," to which he would sigh wearily and remain rooted in his spot.

"Come on Rin," he said finally, "it really is time to go."

"Oh Kakashi, please can't we stay a little longer? Or, if you really don't want to, just let me stay a little longer."

He sighed again at her pleading tone of voice. He could tell that she desperately wanted to stay, but it was getting cold out, and who knew how dangerous these forests were at night? "Let's go Rin."

"Please," she continued to plead, "it's so peaceful here. Please let's just stay a little longer."

Well, what choice did he have when she looked up at him so vulnerably? Even he had to admit that it was very peaceful where they were, and if such peacefulness wasn't so unsettling to him, he might have never wanted to leave as well. Be it as it were the peace was unsettling, and he did want to leave as soon as possible. He was getting tired, and it would only be a few days before he went out to the border again.

But then she looked tugged on the sleeve of his shirt, gazing up at him with the most sorry looking puppy dog eyes and pleaded, "Please?" Stone cold killer or not, even he couldn't deny the working powers of the puppy dog eyes and finally conceded to them. "Fine," he agreed, and at this she gave a little whoop and he was glad to see the puppy dog eyes had disappeared, "but only five more minutes."

She smiled brightly at him and hugged his arm. "Thank you Kakashi."

"Don't mention it," he replied gruffly.

Rin switched her position so that she was now lying on her back; hair sprawled around her face like a halo, arms behind her head, eyes staring up at the stars. "Hey Kakashi, come here and look at the stars," she pulled him unceremoniously down beside her. "What do you notice about them?"

"They're bright…?" he suggested lamely.

"Yup, exactly! They're bright, but don't you think Kakashi, that the stars look a little brighter tonight? Like, they didn't look this bright before…not yesterday, not the day before, not last week. The stars haven't looked this bright in a while."

"Well, we're in the woods. They're not outshone by the village lights here."

"No, that's not it. They look…I don't know…happier. They look like…"

"Obito," they finished in unison, on the same tragically peaceful train of thought.

"Yeah," she smiled for the first time in a long time when hearing his name, repeating the answer in a whisper, "like Obito."

Rin then turned to face him. "Kakashi?"

"Hmm?" He responded absentmindedly, still looking up at the stars.

"You know what I realized about Obito today?"

"What?"

"He'll never be gone from us. Not really. I mean, in a way he's still alive. Life's a journey, right? Well, maybe his journey's just begun. It's like, this journey, it never ends, you know? Even though we feel someone's gone, they never really are. It's just that they become physically invisible. But their thoughts, their mannerisms, their beliefs, they still live on, they're still everywhere because they're in us. They're like the stars…sometimes we explode and aren't seen anymore, but our matter, our very being is still very much floating through the atmosphere. Maybe the plans that Obito had for himself were smaller than the plans life had for him. I can feel him in the air all the time, especially now. He's watching over us, like a guardian angel, helping us, bringing things to our attention that we'd otherwise miss. And you know what else? We're so lucky to have him."

Kakashi did not respond to any of what Rin had said, choosing to remain silent and instead think about her words as he looked up at the stars. He supposed that if he had tilted his head a little to the right, and he had squinted his eyes, and if he had had an incredible imagination and belief in the afterlife, he would have been able to discern the face of his old teammate plastered amongst the stars. Be it as it were, he could only look up at them and think of how brightly they shone, just like Obito had. With the strength of a thousand suns.

At the same time Kakashi was literally staring off into space, Rin came up with another thought that she was curious to discuss with the Hatake. She turned her head towards him again. "Kakashi?"

"Hmm?" He replied same as before.

"Do you have a sanctuary?"

He turned his head, confused, to face her. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, a sanctuary. Like, a place where you can just be yourself, you know? Where you don't have to hide all of the frustrations at the world, where you find peace. You know, a sanctuary. Do you have one?"

"I…don't know. Never thought about it," he admitted truthfully.

"Yeah, me either," she granted, "I used to think that it was the cemetery, you know, 'cause that's when I felt closest to Obito…but then I realized that it wasn't, 'cause I didn't feel at peace there. Just hopeful. Just closer to him," she told him, head still facing his way.

"Well, that's the thing," Kakashi flipped back onto his stomach and began picking at some clovers in the grass, "I mean…does the sanctuary have to be a place?"

Now it was her turn to be confused and question, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, if a sanctuary is just where you're yourself, and you're at peace, then can't a sanctuary be a person, or a memory?"

"I guess," she replied, surprised by his interpretation, "'cause you can feel at peace around a person and you can be yourself around them. And remembering certain things, certain points in time can make you feel more at ease…so, I guess…but for the memory, doesn't it help if you're where the memory happened? Doesn't it make it more real."

"I guess."

She flipped over on to her stomach as well, and then turned to face him again, also picking at a few clovers in the grass. "So then," they simultaneously looked up at each other, "what's your sanctuary?"

Maybe it was the cold that had numbed his mind, maybe it was the false protective shield that the peacefulness around them laid, maybe it was the way the stars seemed to dance in her eyes, maybe it was the fact that he was tired beyond belief and would say just about anything to get her to leave the forest, or maybe it was just him having a rare moment of honesty with himself, but he looked her dead in the eyes – Sharingan masked, so she knew it was likely just him speaking – and he uttered one single word, and after that he didn't believe he had ever spoken any truer word: "You."

* * *

_**IDIL's Note:** Well guys, as hard as it is to believe, that was it. Living Arrangements is officially over, and I'm really torn between being really happy and really sad. It is true that lately I've had my head swimming with all sorts of goodie oneshot projects and I've had to finish this before starting them, but this fic has been a fantastic journey for me as well, and I'll really miss doing updates. I know, I know, it was quite a sappy ending, but it did end the way I intended - and that was peacefully. I really hope that you have enjoyed reading it as much (or more, though I doubt that's possible) as I have writing it. :) Thanks to all of chapter 20's reviewers: And now, for the last time, here is the chapterly challenge!_

_**Chapterly Challenge:** Alright guys, here is the final one, and for some of you, last time's was technically the final one. This chapterly challenge is more of a tie-break round than anything else, but as always, I encourage you to participate! Chapter 19's challenge answers are, for the English, "Look before you leap," and for the Latin, "We learn by teaching". Congratulations to many as they have gotten it!_

**Standings:**

**Chibirain** - 11

**Catgirl9696** - 20

**Sakra-chan** - 15

**Snappa **- 24

**Hikari Minamoto** - 35

**End Dragon** - 15

**Piccylo** - 30

**Joiz. D** - 25

**Rileyonline** - 35

**Konoha's White Fang** - 20

**Frog Lady** - 5

_Now, as I had previously mentioned_ **this is a tie-break round for our two tiers: Hikari Minamoto and Rileyonline! PLEASE READ THIS, YOU TWO!**_ In this round, the rules remain the same (i.e., you CANNOT consult the internet) but if you answer both correctly, you get double the points. If you answer one correctly and one partially correctly, you get the 5 points for the correct one plus however many points I award you for your partially correct answer. If you answer one correctly and one incorrectly, you get 6 points, no matter what. The prizes are really up to the winner to decide, though I don't really see much possible outside the realm of me writing something for you or me reviewing something of yours. However, my mind may not be as creative as yours, and that is why you are allowed to choose the prize. I can also advertise your fics somewhere, if that's what you would prefer. Now, without further ado, here is your final chapterly challenge(s):_

**_1) Missiles of ligneous or petrous consistency have the potential of fracturing my osseous structure, but appellations will eternally remain innocuous._**

**_2) Omnia mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis._**

_Good luck, and this is In Darkness Is Light officially signing off from Living Arrangements! Happy New Year!_


End file.
